All in a Name
by Nynaeve80
Summary: Remus thinks he made a mistake, but finds himself wondering if he was right all along... Not DH compliant. HGRL
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** I don't own Harry Potter, of course. I'm heading out of town this weekend, so I probably won't get to post as quickly as I usually do - just a warning!!! Enjoy :)

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Harry's POV

"Maybe you can take _Percy_ to the Independence Ball with you Ron," Fred teased the youngest male Weasley. "He's practically a girl anyway."

The other males in the room besides Fred and Ron, which included Harry, Charlie, and George, erupted in laughter. Ron merely glared at his brother, not at all pleased with his _suggestion. _"I've already got a date, thank you very much," Ron said defensively, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Oh, ickle Ronniekins has a date!" George exclaimed, placing his hand over his chest in mock surprise.

"Is she inflatable?" Harry asked, not able to resist harassing his best friend just a little. Ron got riled up so easily, it was nearly impossible to resist.They had given Ron a Muggle inflatable doll as a birthday present last year, and he had yet to live it down.

"Thanks a lot, Harry," Ron snapped, his face turning red. "I would have thought _you _would be on my side at least."

"Don't pay attention to them, mate," Charlie said, waving his hand casually. "Who's the lucky girl?" he asked, obviously trying to keep from chuckling at his brothers' lively charade. Charlie was just in for the weekend, and they were making the most of their limited time together. The five of them planned on doing a bit of reminiscing, and drinking of course, and the Weasley twins had been quite the entertainers thus far. Harry, Ron and Remus were living together at Grimmauld Place, so it was the natural destination for their late-night antics.

Ron mumbled something in response, but none of them could make out the girl's name. After some more badgering from Fred, Ron finally gave up the name. "Luna Lovegood," he responded a little louder.

"Luna?" George echoed, surprise showing on his features. "And here I thought maybe you finally snagged the lovely Miss Granger," he taunted, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"Hermione and I are just friends," Ron muttered darkly, throwing a pillow in the direction of George's face. He easily ducked the launched object as he smirked at his fuming brother. Harry inwardly prayed they would change the subject as soon as possible. Ron was still sore about Hermione not returning his feelings, and he didn't want to deal with a miserable Ron all evening.

"What about you?" Charlie asked, turning to Harry. "Still taking the lovely Miss Abbott to the ball?"

Harry was about to respond in the affirmative when the sound of a door slamming interrupted their conversation. He sat stunned as the unexpected flurry of activity made its way towards him.

"Tonks! Wait!" Remus yelled, chasing after the pink-haired witch who was currently running through the living room.

"Go to hell!" Tonks yelled back as she grabbed her cloak. She went to open the door, but Remus managed to catch her by the wrist. "Let go of me, you lying bastard!" She practically screamed.

"Will you just give me a chance to explain?" Remus asked pleadingly.

Tonks yanked her arm away from him, her eyes flashing with anger. It seemed so bizarre to see the ever-cheery Auror so furious. Even during the War, she had rarely ever shown her temper. It had taken a duel with Bellatrix Lestrange, her cousin's killer, before she lost her cool. "No!" She said vehemently. "There is absolutely no way you can _explain _your way out of this one, so just forget it."

Remus reached for her again, but she quickly dodged his half-hearted effort, shutting the front door with incredible force. All the males winced at the sound, feeling sorry for the poor bloke who ran into her next. Whatever had happened between the two, it was obvious it had interrupted other _activities. _Remus's shirt was completely unbuttoned, and his hair was mussed in what Harry recognized as a sure sign of serious snogging. Based on the door-slamming alone, they wouldn't be repeating that activity any time soon.

"Bloody hell," Remus cursed softly, giving the door a swift kick.

"You alright, mate?" Charlie asked hesitantly. While Remus was normally a mild-mannered bloke, the fact remained that he _was _a werewolf, and angry werewolves were _not _creatures any sane witch or wizard wanted to upset.

Remus whipped around, suddenly realizing they were in the room. His eyes widened momentarily before he let out a huge sigh. "I'll be fine, Charlie. Thanks for asking," he answered miserably.

"Want a pint?" Fred piped up, holding up a butterbeer. "Nothing like a little alcohol to drown your problems in," he said, winking mischievously at Remus.

"No, thanks, Fred, I think I'll just…" his voice trailed off as he ran his fingers through his sandy blond hair, eyes downcast. When he finally lifted his head, his gaze met with Harry's. He was shocked to see the guilt in Remus's eyes, and he was more than a little worried about what he might do in his current state.

Just as he opened his mouth to make a suggestion, Remus spoke up again. "Oh, fuck it!" He declared loudly as he made his way over to the couch to claim the empty spot. Harry and the Weasleys exchanged quick glances at each other, not entirely sure how to respond to Remus's unexpected outburst. He rarely cursed, and Harry was reasonably sure he had never heard him use that particular word before. Sirius, yes…Remus, no.

"If no one has any major objections, pass me the firewhiskey because I plan on getting absolutely _pissed," _Remus said with a grin, reaching across the table for the bottle.

"You've come to the right place, mate," George announced, returning Remus's grin with one of his own. After swapping roguish smiles with his brothers, George happily poured the first of many rounds of firewhiskey for everyone.

Harry had stopped himself after two rounds of firewhiskey, having already promised Hannah that he wouldn't get drunk under any circumstances. They were supposed to go shopping for her dress the following morning, and he would rather give up drinking all together than face her wrath if he didn't keep his promise. He dearly loved his girlfriend, but there were times she was downright _frightening. _

Remus, having accomplished and surpassed his noble goal of becoming inebriated, was currently stretched out languidly on the couch. His eyes were still bright, but the impish smile on his face gave him away. He was gloriously drunk, and he seemed to be enjoying every minute of it…for now. Harry cringed, thinking of the massive hangover Remus would have in the morning. He briefly wondered if they had any hangover potion in the house.

The others finally convinced Remus to join them in rummaging through the kitchen cabinets for more firewhiskey, while Harry sprawled out lazily on the couch. His solitude was short-lived however; the front door opened a few moments later, and he was surprised to find one of his best friends, Hermione Granger, staring back at him. She usually avoided these little 'get-togethers' with the Weasleys since it nearly always included ridiculous amounts of alcohol and frequent, sometimes tasteless comments about the joys of the female anatomy.

"Hermione, what a nice surprise," Harry greeted her, offering to take her cloak. He was surprised again when she actually allowed him to do so, figuring she wouldn't want to stay long enough to get comfortable.

"I'm sure," she answered dryly, giving him a small smile. She tilted her head slightly to the right, raising an eyebrow at the peals of laughter coming from the kitchen. "Since it appears you're the only one who isn't drunk yet, would you mind telling me what happened with Tonks and Remus tonight?"

Harry let out a sigh, not sure how to respond. "We tried talking to Remus earlier, but he didn't say exactly what happened. They had some sort of fight, and she stormed out of here about two hours ago," he replied with a grim smile. "I've never heard Remus curse so much in my life."

"So he's drunk, too?" Hermione asked, a touch of disbelief in her voice. "He's usually the responsible one in the group."

"It seems I've taken over that role tonight," Harry said, puffing his chest out in mock pride.

"Just because you're the _sober _one doesn't necessarily make you the _responsible _one, Harry," Hermione reminded him, causing him to laugh. He never seemed able to outwit her, no matter how many times he tried.

Remus and the Weasleys burst through the kitchen door into the living room, excitedly celebrating the cache of ale they had found. They ignored Hermione and Harry as they made their way to the couch. Just as they sat down, Hermione spoke up. "Hello, boys," she said in a low voice, causing nearly all of them to jump in surprise.

"Hermione!" Ron exclaimed, a guilty look on his face. "Shouldn't, um, you be at home?"

"It's nice to see you, too, Ron," Hermione replied sarcastically. "I would actually love to be at home, but my roommates suddenly decided to kick me out of the flat for the night."

"Ginny kicked you out?" Harry asked, incredulous. Hermione and Ginny got along beautifully, and he couldn't remember the last time they had fought. If_ she didn't get into a fight with Ginny, then that meant…_

"Ginny _and _Tonks kicked me out," Hermione corrected. "When I asked them why I wasn't allowed in my own flat, they politely told me to ask Remus, so here I am." When she finished speaking, she directed her gaze to Remus, who smiled disarmingly at her.

"You can stay the night here," Remus offered, leaning back on the couch. "After all, it's my bloody fault you're here."

Hermione shot a quick look at Harry before whispering, "I see what you mean about his cursing." Walking closer to Remus, she inquired, "Can you at least tell me _why _it's your fault? What happened between you and Tonks?"

"Hermione, love, I'm not nearly drunk enough to have this conversation," Remus answered, giving her a childish grin. _Since when did Remus call Hermione 'love'? _Harry wondered.

"Au contraire," she countered as she arched an eyebrow disapprovingly, "I think you're plenty drunk enough from what I can see."

"There's always room for more alcohol, love," he replied, eliciting a few cheers of agreement from Charlie. "Why don't you have a drink with us?"

Harry could tell she really wanted to reply back with a biting retort, but she held her tongue instead. After a few moments, she spoke. "How about we make a deal? You tell me what happened to upset Tonks, and I'll have a drink with you."

Since he was painfully sober, Harry was well aware of the absurdity of the 'deal.' All his mates, however, weren't exactly capable of higher-level thinking at the moment. Remus seemed to ponder her words for a moment before happily agreeing to her terms. He straightened up as he began recounting the story. The Weasleys leaned forward eagerly, everyone wanting to know the story behind Tonks's earlier explosion. "Well, let me first say it was an _accident," _Remus began, his words slurring ever so slightly.

"She shouldn't get mad if it was an accident," argued Ron, his firewhiskey sloshing ungracefully over his glass.

"I agree," Charlie chimed in. "Everyone makes mistakes now and then, and accidents aren't your fault, so-"

"I hate to interrupt, but could we get back to the story?" Hermione asked, looking a little put out at their drunken behavior.

"Of course, love," Remus answered smoothly. "Where was I? Oh yes, it was an accident. Tonks and I were in my bedroom snogging," he paused as Ron started snickering, "when I upset her."

"How did you upset her?" Harry questioned, his own impatience starting to show. Being around drunks the entire night was starting to wear on his nerves. He now understood why none of the girls wanted to be around them when they got together. _Being drunk_ was an absolute blast, but _being with drunks…_not so fun.

"Well, I sort of…" Remus trailed off as he waved his hand around lazily. "When we were kissing, I _might_ possibly have uttered another witch's name."

Harry felt his eyes go wide, and he was fairly sure Hermione's did the same. The drunks, however, seemed to find his confession rather humorous, and his words sat off a myriad of cackles. "Merlin, Remus, that's bleeding hilarious! You weren't even smashed when you said it!" Charlie proclaimed, doubled-over in laughter.

Hermione, however, failed to find the hilarity in the situation and she glared sternly at Remus. "Whose name did you say?"

"I don't think you want to know, love," Remus responded with a raspy voice, taking another drink of his firewhiskey. "It's over and done with now, and there's no going back."

"You don't know that for sure," she argued softly. "Tonks will be angry for a while, but I'm sure she'll forgive you eventually." She paused for a moment, seeming to debate her next words. "You weren't cheating on her with this other witch, were you?"

"Nope," Remus replied simply, giving her another sluggish grin. "I may have fantasized about this girl, but I didn't cheat on Tonks. But you should know that as well as me," he added cryptically.

"How so?" She demanded, clearly confused with ramblings.

"Because the name I called her was _Hermione." _


	2. The Fallout

Hermione's POV

She was absolutely frozen. If Draco Malfoy had suddenly declared his undying love for her, she couldn't have been more surprised than she was at that moment. _Remus said _her _name? _No wonder Tonks hadn't let her in the apartment. She undoubtedly imagined she and Remus were having an affair, an assumption that certainly made sense given the situation.

She turned her head slightly to the left to see Harry staring at her with a panicked look on his face. The Weasley boys were no help, either; all of them were trying to keep from laughing, except Ron, who looked like he wanted to murder Remus. Before she could respond, Ron shrieked at her, "You're sleeping with Remus?"

Hearing his annoying voice snapped her out of the daze. "Don't be ridiculous, Ron," she replied in a biting tone. "Remus and I are just friends, and you know he would never cheat on Tonks."

She ran her fingers through her hair, trying to decide what to do. She honestly had no clue what the appropriate response would be in this situation, and Remus's inebriation certainly wasn't helping. Even if she _wanted _to discuss what happened with him, it would be difficult at best. She slowly eased herself onto the couch, closing her eyes as she eased back. _Maybe if I keep my eyes closed, all of this will turn out to be just one giant nightmare…_

"If you two aren't shagging, then why did you say her name?" Fred asked, wiggling his eyebrows at Remus.

Remus shrugged in response. "You know how it is. You're with a woman for a while, and things start getting a little predictable, so your mind starts to wander a little bit. It's not like I _meant _for it to happen." He shot her another charming smile before adding, "But ever since I saw Hermione in that bikini last week, I can't get the damn image out of my mind."

Her_ bikini?_Whenever she saw Ginny again, she would be sure to curse the girl for convincing her to wear that ridiculous monstrosity. She had never worn a two-piece bathing suit in her life, but she decided to follow the younger girl's advice and wear it to the Weasleys party last week…and look where it got her! She was right back to being the 'scarlet woman' who was tearing up a happy couple…what made it worse was that she _did _find Remus attractive…

"I know what you mean," George mused, a faraway look in his eye. "It was quite a sight to behold." Although Fred and Charlie thankfully didn't speak up, they were nodding their heads in agreement with his sentiments. Ron, however, was looking angrier by the minute, with his face flushing a dark red.

"This is really not a good time to be joking," Hermione admonished, scarcely believing she was having this conversation with them.

"I'm not joking, love," Remus responded, taking another sip of firewhiskey. "I had more than few wanks thinking about that little bikini on you, and I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one."

He gave her a roguish grin as he stretched out in his chair. Under normal circumstances, she would have slapped him for being so crass, but she was far too shocked to do much besides gape at him. Remus was never crude, always preferring to be a gentleman in every aspect. Hearing him say he thought of her while doing…_that _was more than a little disconcerting. She opened her mouth, but all that came out was, "What?"

"Well, everyone knows you've been a Weasley favorite for a while now," he answered smiling. "And I'll bet even Harry here got his rocks off after he saw you," he added.

Despite her best intentions, she found herself unable to resist the temptation to look at Harry. Casting him a sidelong glance, she found his face the color of a ripe tomato. She stared at him hopefully for a few seconds, waiting for him to deny Remus's words. When he met her eyes, he only gave her a guilty smile as he took a small step backwards.

"Oh bloody hell," she mumbled under her breath. Reaching across the table for the firewhiskey, she said in a louder voice, "I think I'm ready for that drink now."

Harry's POV

Thirty minutes later, it appeared Hermione was as drunk as the Weasleys. He only saw her take small sips of her drink, but her glass needed refilling about twice as often as anyone else's. The twins had been delighted to see Hermione Granger drinking, and even Ron politely told him to 'bugger off' when he suggested sending Hermione to bed.

The worst development, however, was that Remus and Hermione seemed to be getting closer as the night wore on. Remus had casually draped his arm over her shoulders at one point, and Hermione had gradually scooted closer to him after that. Knees bumping, hands touching…she even put her head on his shoulder! Harry was about to step in, Ron be damned, when Hermione suddenly stood up, swaying slightly. "I think I'm ready for bed," she slurred. "Are you ready for bed, Remus?"

"I'm not sure. I don't think I'm that tired, and oomph-"

Charlie gave Remus a not-so-gentle nudge in the ribs before leaning over to say in a stage whisper, "She wants you to go to bed _with her_, you git!"

Remus's eyes got wide as a grin made its way across his face. "Now that I think about it, I _am _feeling a little sleepy."

"Wonderful," Hermione purred, taking his hand as he stood up from the couch. _This can't be happening! _Harry glanced around wildly, expecting at least Ron to be upset, but he was currently mesmerized by Fred and George, who were playing keep-away with his bottle of firewhiskey.

"Hermione, I don't think this is such a good idea-"

"Give over, Harry," Remus said lightly, slapping him on the back. "Hermione's a big girl, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am," Hermione replied, batting her eyelashes at Remus. "Why don't we go to your bedroom, and I can show you just how big-"

"Hermione!" Harry hissed, grabbing her arm lightly. He wasn't a fan of using physical force, but he couldn't sit by and watch his best friend throw herself at their former professor.

"Harry, it's _fine_," she said firmly, shaking off his hand. Before she turned back to Remus, she gave him a conspiratorial wink. He was momentarily startled by the gesture, but he didn't have time to contemplate it before she quickly turned and followed Remus to his room.

He hurriedly glanced back at Ron, trying to decide if he should alert the boy as to what was going on. He would probably blow up, but at least he could help stop the atrocity that would be occurring in Remus's room. He quickly decided, however, that based on Ron's slurring speech and seemingly inability to stand up properly, he wasn't going to be of much use.

"Lucky dog," Charlie muttered, looking longingly towards Remus's room, which Hermione and Remus had just entered. "Oh, wait, I guess I should say lucky _wolf_," he said, cackling to himself. He seemed thoroughly impressed with his lame joke, and he nearly fell in the floor clutching his sides.

"Bloody drunks," Harry muttered under his breath. He strode quickly to Remus's room, not bothering to knock on the door. While he wasn't entirely sure he wanted to see what was occurring on the other side, he couldn't live with himself if he didn't stop them from doing something they may regret the rest of their lives.

Opening the door, he presumed he would stumble upon the two soon-to-be lovers in varying states of nakedness. Instead, he found Remus snoring on the bed, completely clothed, and Hermione placing her wand calmly in her back pocket. She glanced up as he barged in, arching an eyebrow calmly at him. "Didn't think I could handle myself?" She said with a smirk.

"What the hell happened?" Harry asked, angrily gesturing towards the sleeping werewolf. "And why don't you sound drunk anymore?"

"I was never drunk, you great prat," she responded airily. "I kept switching glasses with everyone else so it looked like I was getting drunk. I've probably had less to drink than you have." She grabbed his arm as she headed towards the door. "Honestly, I thought you would've given me at least a _little _credit, Harry."

He was still processing the information when she dragged him out into the hallway. "You mean you were never drunk?"

"That's correct," she replied slowly as if speaking to a small child. "Merlin, Harry, are _you _drunk?"

"No!" He said indignantly, his face heating up. "If you weren't drunk, then why did you put on that little show? And why is Remus asleep? Did he pass out?"

Hermione looked at him a moment before responding to his rapid-fire questions. "I put on that 'little show' because it was the quickest way to get Remus into bed. As soon as he laid down, I hit him with a light sleeping charm, and he should wake up sometime tomorrow morning with a truly awful hangover. Besides, I _did _promise to drink with them, I just never promised how much I'd drink."

Harry nodded his head. "That makes sense, but why did you want to get Remus into bed?"

Hermione rolled her eyes in frustration. "To protect the poor man. He's clearly drunk off his arse, and he needs to sleep it off. If he thought I was sober, he would more than likely assume I was just trying to spoil his fun, so I decided to let him think I was as drunk as him; naturally, it worked out beautifully." She paused for a moment before adding, "And if any of those other gits mentioned my bikini one more time, I was going to break their little wands."

Harry's eyes widened in understanding, realizing what she meant by 'wands.' He cleared his throat nervously. "Um, about that, 'Mione, I promise I wasn't trying-"

"It's okay, Harry," Hermione interrupted him, waving off his apology. "You at least had the decency not to talk about it incessantly in front of me."

"They didn't mean any harm," Harry said apologetically. "I'm sure they will feel terrible about it tomorrow."

"With any luck, they won't _remember _it tomorrow," Hermione countered, giving him a wry smile. "They're _all_ bloody pissed."

"What if they _do _remember?" Harry inquired, curious to know how she would handle the aftermath.

"Well, I'm pretty handy with Memory Charms, too," she replied mischievously, sending him another wink before apparating upstairs with a soft 'pop'.

Remus's POV

The next morning, he woke with a pounding headache, and a mouth as dry as the desert. Groping around, he realized he was alone in his bed, and there was no sign of Tonks. Sitting up _slowly, _the previous night's events gradually entered his mind…_kissing Tonks… fighting with Tonks…drinking with the Weasleys and Harry… Hermione…_

He groaned as he fell back onto his pillow. How could he have been so stupid? He taught third-year Hufflepuffs that weren't that dim-witted. Not only had he more than likely irreparably damaged his relationship with Tonks, but he had said Merlin-knows-what to Hermione. He vaguely remembered mentioning her bikini, and he was pretty certain what he said wasn't becoming of a gentleman.

Judging by his current state of dress, he had at least managed not to take advantage of Miss Granger. Perhaps Harry and Ron would spare his life once they realized he hadn't harmed her. Of course, he didn't think any punishment would be as bad as Tonks _and _Hermione seeing him act like a complete arse. He wasn't sure if being sober when he upset Tonks made his actions look better or worse…probably worse.

It was all that damned bikini's fault! Up until last week, he had found Hermione to be a beautiful, intelligent young witch who would make any bloke proud to be with her. He found her to be one of the few people who enjoyed intellectual conversations, and who read as much (if not more) than he did. Despite her obvious beauty, he had viewed her as 'off limits' because of her friendship with Harry. After seeing her smooth, tan legs and taut midriff in that little white bathing suit, he now found she stimulated him more than just _intellectually, _and he wasn't entirely upset with the revelationHe made a fatal error, however, by allowing the image to enter his mind while snogging Tonks, and now he was sure she would make him pay for it.

Rolling out of bed, he realized the decision he had to make first was perhaps the hardest…who did he apologize to first – Tonks or Hermione?

Ginny's POV

The past twenty-four hours had been an absolute nightmare. When Tonks had shown up at the apartment hysterical, she had regretfully broken her date with Blaise, promising to make it up to him later. He left in a bit of a huff, but she was relatively sure he would forgive her, especially if she wore that little nightgown he got her last week. Tonks, however, seemed absolutely livid, and it took Ginny several minutes before she could get the older woman to calm down enough to be coherent. When she found out what had happened, Ginny herself nearly went hysterical.

As implausible as she found the story, she knew Tonks wouldn't have reacted this way if there was _any _chance that she had misheard Remus. Regardless, she couldn't quite believe Hermione and Remus were having an affair. Not only was it against Hermione's nature, but Ginny was confident enough in her observation skills that she would have noticed something going on. But if it wasn't an affair, then _why in the world did Remus say Hermione's name? _

That question kept repeating over and over in her mind, and she didn't have any answer that made sense. When Hermione had shown up at the flat, she had to physically restrain Tonks from leaping on her. She quickly ushered Hermione out, telling her, in effect, she wasn't welcome at the flat. It felt wrong to do it, but Tonks was in no condition to have a rational conversation with Hermione.

Her guilt didn't go away the next day when Harry came by to check on her and Tonks. "Is Tonks okay?" He asked, his voice full of concern. He was sitting at the kitchen table while she made breakfast. He kept glancing nervously at the door, as if he expected Tonks to burst through screaming at the top of her lungs.

"She's…better," Ginny hesitated. She didn't want to talk about Tonks behind her back, but she knew Harry was just concerned. "Obviously, she's not very happy with Remus or Hermione right now, but I think she'll be okay."

Harry leaned forward across the table. "I can't speak for Remus since I haven't known him _quite_ as long, but there is _no _way that Hermione was sleeping with Remus," he said earnestly.

"How can you be sure?" Ginny asked, arching an eyebrow. While she agreed with Harry, she was interested in finding out his reasoning. If Harry believed it, then hopefully she could get Tonks to listen to reason, too.

"I _know _Hermione, and she's just not capable of it," he answered simply.

"No one really knows what others are capable of, Harry," she pointed out. "If someone had told me a few years ago that I would have murdered two people, even if it was in self-defense, I'd have thought they were insane."

Harry sat silently for a moment before responding. "We don't always know what people might do, but we _can _know their character. Hermione would see cheating as betrayal, and you know as well as I do, that she's nothing if not loyal."

Ginny pondered his words, realizing the truth in them. She was about to speak when Tonks entered the room. Her eyes were swollen from crying, and her short, spiky hair was matted to her head. "Did you mean that, Harry?" She asked weakly.

Harry nodded back at her, giving her a sympathetic smile. "I meant every word, Tonks."

"I just don't know what to believe," Tonks said miserably, taking a seat across from Harry. "Are you _sure _she isn't with Remus_?" _She asked again, peering into Harry's face for confirmation.

"Tonks," Harry responded slowly, "I'd bet my _life _on it."


	3. Apologies

**Author's Note: Thanks to all who have reviewed! My father's still recovering from heart bypass surgery, so I apologize for the rather infrequent updates. I will do my best to update sooner! **

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She had just finished preparing breakfast when none other than Remus Lupin walked into the kitchen. His hair was mussed, his clothes were rumpled, and he clearly hadn't bothered with shaving that morning. His eyes grew so wide at seeing her that she half expected he might have soiled himself out of surprise. They simply exchanged brief greetings while he took a seat at the table. She sat next to him, careful to put the appropriate amount of space between them. If someone happened to drop by, she didn't want _any _indication of impropriety between them.

"Where's Harry?" Remus asked hoarsely, his eyes still glued to his plate.

"He's over at my flat," she responded, her lips twitching just a little when she saw Remus's head shoot up. At the moment, he resembled an adorable teenager more than the hung-over middle-aged adult he was.

"I suppose I should head over there soon," he said awkwardly, fiddling with his spoon.

"You may want to send an owl first," she suggested, not having the heart to point out there was a _very _good chance Tonks wouldn't see him just yet.

He merely nodded in agreement while they ate in silence. She contemplated saying something, but she wanted to know what he remembered before she inadvertently gave anything away. If he was too drunk to remember what happened, she wasn't about to bring it up on her own. Finally, after a few minutes, he spoke. "Hermione, I honestly have no idea exactly what I said or did last night, but I'm certain my actions weren't entirely appropriate, and I apologize for anything I might have said or did that upset you," he said quietly, his amber eyes staring into hers.

He seemed so lost, so sincere, that she felt her heart nearly melt. It was obvious he felt terrible, and she knew giving him the cold shoulder wouldn't help the situation one bit. "It's okay, Remus. I understand you weren't exactly yourself last night," she replied with a wry smile.

He shifted in his uncomfortably before asking, "Did we…I mean did anything _happen-" _

"Nothing happened, Remus," she interjected calmly, watching his face relax slightly. "I put you to bed, and you feel asleep immediately."

"Well, at least I didn't hit on you," he said, his voice full of false cheer. He gave her a weak smile, but it quickly slid off his face at her expression. "Did I?" He croaked.

"Not _technically," _she responded quickly, attempting to find a diplomatic way to explain his actions. It didn't seem necessary to give him all the horrific details. Ignorance is bliss, right?

"What _exactly _did I do?" Remus asked fearfully.

"It's nothing to worry about," she replied. "It's over, and you just need to focus on explaining to Tonks what happened."

"Hermione, I'm begging you," Remus pleaded, taking her hand in his, "you have to tell me what I did. I'll drive myself crazy wondering what I said."

The touch of his skin against hers felt incredibly warm, but she quickly pushed the thought away, mentally scolding herself. Now was definitely not the time to get lost in a daydream. "Remus," she sighed, closing her eyes mostly in embarrassment, "let's just say that you seemed to approve of my white bikini."

His face flushed at her words, but he didn't let her off the hook that easy. "What did I say?" He pressed, tightening his grip on her hand.

"You might have mentioned something along the lines of having a nice …wank because of it," she replied haltingly. He blushed harder, and she knew her own cheeks were tinged pink. She inwardly cursed her lack of ability to lie convincingly. "You might have also insinuated that Harry and the Weasleys did the same."

"Oh, Merlin," Remus replied miserably, letting his head drop to his hands. "I can't believe I actually said that out loud." He shook his head, his face full of horror and disbelief. "What did Harry do?"

"Well, at first he sat there dumbstruck," Hermione said, not able to keep a smile from forming on her face. As mortifying as the experience was last night, it was rather humorous in hindsight. "Then he proceeded to give me a guilty smile as his only defense."

Remus shook his head in awe. "I'm surprised he didn't hex me for saying what I did."

"He almost did when he thought we might sleep together, but-"

"What?" Remus exclaimed, his eyes going wide with shock. "We were going to sleep together?"

"It's a long story, but no, we weren't going to sleep together," Hermione responded, biting back a laugh.

She leaned back a little in her chair as she took in the man next to her. As much as she hated to admit it, the schoolgirl crush she had on Remus had never really left her. Instead, it had grown into an admiration for the werewolf, one which grew stronger every year. Remus wasn't just well-read, he was also naturally intelligent. He had a very quick wit, and the troublemaking days of his youth had given him a rather rebellious streak she found irresistibly sexy.

The fact that he was devastatingly handsome in her opinion didn't help her crush. Since the War, he had gained a little weight, most of it muscle. He had been almost frail when she first met him, but he was now lean and muscular, a fact she was happy to discover. His shirt was still unbuttoned from the night before, and she couldn't stop herself from letting her eyes drift over his chest. There were several scars marring the smooth skin, but it did nothing to detract from the rippling muscles in his torso. If he hadn't already been involved with Tonks, she might have let herself act on her crush, but she cared too much about the metamorphmagus to ever betray her like that.

"I'll completely understand if you decide to hex me in my sleep," Remus uttered, running his hands through his hair again in what she assumed was a nervous habit of his.

"I would never hex you, Remus," Hermione said, surprised he would think her capable of such a thing.

"Why not?" He asked bluntly, his eyes boring into her.

"I'd like to think we're friends, and friends don't usually hex each other," she replied, sipping her tea. "You might have been a little tactless in some of your comments, but I think you're punishing yourself enough without me adding to your misery."

"Thank you," he whispered, looking at her with an awestruck expression. "I really do feel horrible about what I said," he added, a pained look crossing his face. "I just wish there was something I could do to make it up to you-"

"There's no need, Remus," Hermione said as she rose from the table to place her mug in the sink. Before she had time to think it through, she blurted out, "It was honestly somewhat flattering, so maybe I should be thanking you instead."

Remus's POV

_She was flattered? _He could tell by her nervous laugh that she hadn't meant to share that sentiment with him, but he couldn't help but be glad she had. Having a beautiful woman like Hermione be flattered by his attention was a very unexpected ego boost. He was nearly 20 years her senior, and a werewolf to boot. He thought she would have been mortified instead of pleased.

Clearing his throat, he responded, "Well, I certainly can't say that all of my comments were in good taste, but I can assure you they were true." He gave her a small smile, hoping she couldn't hear the pounding of his heart from where she was standing. He had the feeling the conversation was heading in a direction he wasn't entirely sure about, but he couldn't stop himself.

"Tasteless or not, it's one of the nicest compliments I've gotten in a while," she mused, placing the mug back into the cupboard. "Maybe I should hang around drunk people more often."

"I happen to know you still get more fan mail than anyone else does, and I'd wager most of those letters are _full _of compliments from enamored wizards," he teased, watching as she turned towards him, her eyes full of amusement.

"I'll have you know that most of those letters are from respectable young witches who simply admire me for my work on equality," she replied in a mock stern voice.

"Are those the ones who also ask for a pair of your knickers?" He asked innocently, hiding his smile behind his mug.

"You prat!" She swatted his arm playfully, unable to keep from laughing.

Remus himself gave a little chuckle before sobering. While it was more fun teasing her than he might imagine, he wanted to be sure there were no hard feelings. "I still feel like I need to apologize, Hermione," he said, his voice once again serious. She opened her mouth to speak, but he held up his hand. "I not only embarrassed you last night, but I also got you kicked out of your own apartment. The least I can do is make it up to you."

Hermione sent him a wry smile as she leaned back against the counter. It took nearly all his self-control not to peruse her lithe form. While he had only been teasing about the fan mail, he _had _heard that some of her fan mail was risqué, and there had even been talk of The Daily Prophet wanting to do a calendar with photos of her. He knew she would never agree to it, but he was fairly certain he would have bought the calendar himself if she did.

"If it means that much to you, then who am I to rob you of a chance at redemption?" Hermione said, sending him a smile. "It's not necessary, but I _do_ appreciate the gesture. You could really teach Harry and Ron a thing or two about how to apologize to a woman," she added, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Young men are a bit slow when it comes to things like that," Remus replied, not able to keep the grin off his face. "By the way, how are things with you and Ron?" He asked lightly, trying to make sure he didn't sound _too _interested.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, a confused look on her face.

"I thought there might be some sparks there," he commented off-handedly, keeping the disinterested look on his face.

"Ha! The only sparks between us are the ones coming from my wand when I hex him for acting like a prat," Hermione responded, rolling her eyes. "He is one friend that I _don't_ mind hexing. I don't know why everyone assumes we're together."

"Probably because he follows you around like a lost puppy," he teased, earning a glare from his companion.

"Too bad I'm not a fan of dogs," she quipped, flashing him a smile.

"How about werewolves?" He asked before he caught himself. _What the hell was he thinking? _After apologizing for acting like a prat, he starts _flirting _with her ten minutes later? He wouldn't have been surprised if she hexed him for his inappropriate comment…instead, she shocked him by _laughing. _

"Oh, I'm just _over the moon _for werewolves," she said dramatically, draping a hand across her chest.

He let out a soft laugh at her cheeky comment, relieved she didn't take offense to his question. She opened her mouth to speak again, but the arrival of an owl interrupted her. The owl came swooping in through the open window, depositing a parchment in his lap. Hermione quickly dug around for some owl treats while he scanned the letter.

"Is everything okay?" Hermione asked as she fed the small, brown owl who was hooting happily.

"Tonks is coming here to talk to me," Remus replied in a whisper, gulping nervously. "Merlin, help me, Hermione. What am I going to say?"

He sounded desperate to his own ears, but he was honestly at a loss as to what he should say to Tonks. There wasn't exactly prescribed etiquette on how to apologize for saying another witch's name in the throes of passion….well, technically they were only snogging at the time, but it didn't really matter. He had screwed up royally, and this was his last chance to salvage his relationship.

"Don't worry," Hermione said soothingly, hurriedly sitting back down in the chair beside him. "Everything will be okay, I promise."

She had grabbed his hand as a sign of support, and he did his best not to think about how soft it felt in his own callused hand. "Just tell her you're sorry, it was an accident, and it won't happen again," she urged, squeezing his hand. He realized Hermione probably didn't have any idea just how enticing she looked at the moment, and how much more difficult her proximity was making things.

He merely nodded his head in response, not trusting his voice just yet. After a few moments, Hermione rose up from the table, pulling him up along with her. "I'm going to head back to the apartment now since I'm fairly sure Tonks won't want to see me when she gets here," she said with a small smile. "Everything will work out, trust me."

She sounded so confident, Remus found himself smiling back, believing she was right. Tonks would forgive him, and things would go back to the way they were. He wouldn't be having inappropriate thoughts about Hermione anymore and-

"Good luck," she whispered as she gently placed a kiss on his cheek, pulling back to send him a smile. Before he had a chance to digest what had happened, she disappeared, no doubt apparating back to her apartment.

He sat stunned, staring at the empty space the young witch had occupied moments earlier. His hand unconsciously went to his cheek, touching the skin she had kissed. His cheek felt like it was on fire, as if she had seared him with her lips. All his earlier hopes about erasing Hermione from his mind were undeniably dashed. Despite the distinctly friendly feel to the kiss, he couldn't help picturing how beautiful she looked when she smiled at him, the way her pert breasts brushed up against his chest-

"Remus?" A voice called out from the living room. He immediately recognized it as belonging to Tonks, and his heart jumped in his throat. He would now have to face his girlfriend and apologize for saying another witch's name…the same witch who had lit a fire in his veins with one simple kiss.

"Bloody hell," he mumbled as he headed towards the living room, nowhere near ready to face the witch who awaited him.


	4. Surprise Visit

_What in Merlin's name had she been thinking? Why did she have to go and kiss him? _Hermione berated herself the entire way back to her apartment, having apparated a few blocks away to calm her nerves. He had looked down at her with that irresistible smile on his face, and she couldn't help herself. She groaned in humiliation, wondering if he would be upset with her for her impulsive actions.

"Hermione?" Ginny asked, peeking around the corner of the kitchen that Hermione had just walked into. "How are you?"

"I'm better than I was last night," Hermione answered with a dry smile. She could see the guilt in Ginny's eyes, but she didn't quite feel like letting her off the hook just yet. She had, after all, kicked her out of the apartment less than twenty-four hours ago, which deserved a _little_ punishment in her opinion.

"I'm really sorry about last night, 'Mione," Ginny pleaded, giving her a guilty smile. "It's just that Tonks was crying, and you know with her temper, she's kind of crazy now and again-"

"I know, Ginny," she interrupted. "I understand why you did what you did, but I just wish you would've given me a chance to tell my side of the story."

"I would have, honestly, but Tonks was hysterical," Ginny answered earnestly. "I couldn't get her to calm down, and I'm pretty certain she wouldn't have believed anything you said last night."

Hermione sighed, realizing Ginny probably had a worse night than she did. In reality, she didn't even have the energy to stay angry with her – the past twenty-four hours had been emotionally exhausting. "I know, Gin," she said with a small grin. "You know I can't really stay mad at you."

Ginny beamed, jumping up from the table to give her a hug. "Thank you, 'Mione," she said breathlessly. "I felt just awful about it, and I barely slept a wink last night."

"Well, Tonks was on her way over to Grimmauld Place, so I'm fairly certain she and Remus will work things out," Hermione assured her. For some odd reason, she was slightly disappointed at the revelation, but kept the feeling to herself.

"I certainly hope so because I don't think I can take another night of Tonks going spare," Ginny muttered, shaking her head slightly.

Hermione simply laughed as she began helping Ginny clean the kitchen. While her friend prattled on about her errands for the day, Hermione found her mind wandering again to Remus. _Would he patch things up with Tonks? Would he still be her friend in spite of what happened? _

"You okay, Hermione?" Ginny asked, peering down at her. "I thought I lost you for a moment."

"I'm fine," she replied, forcing a smile on her face as she wiped down the table. "I've just got a lot on my mind." _Like why in the world I'm not terribly upset that Remus accidentally said my name…_

Remus's POV

When Remus first saw Tonks, he could immediately tell she had been crying. Guilt swept over him like a wave, making him nearly drop his head in shame. He hated the thought of hurting her, especially since she was the first real girlfriend he had had in years. Not many women would date a werewolf, and when he finally found one who would, he managed to bugger it up quite nicely.

"Hello, Tonks," he greeted her, his voice shaking slightly. He gestured towards the couch, and they both moved to towards the living room to take a seat. He would normally kiss or at least hug her, but given the circumstances, he decided it would be best not to press his luck.

When they were both settled, Remus shifted awkwardly in his seat, not entirely sure how to start the conversation. Tonks was the one who requested they 'talk', but he was shrewd enough to realize it was more about a demand for an explanation.

She had yet to really say anything, and Remus was getting more anxious by the minute. After several more moments of silence, he blurted out, "I'm sorry."

Tonks looked up at him, still wringing her hands in her lap. "Do you mean that?" She asked, her voice sounding pitifully small.

"Yes!" He replied, edging a little closer to her. There were still several inches between them on the couch, but he dared not get too close yet. "It was a mistake, and I _never _meant to hurt you," he added.

"Are you sleeping with her?"

Remus sat motionless, stunned by her question. He and Hermione had always been fairly close, but it never occurred to him that she would actually consider he was having an affair. "No, of course not," he responded, trying not to sound affronted. "Hermione and I are just friends. I would never cheat on you."

She realized a slow breath, nodding her head slowly as if she were trying to decide if she believed him. Raising her head once more, she asked, "Then why did you say her name?"

He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, and his palms were starting to sweat. He had no problems answering her first question because he could easily tell her the truth. The answer to _this _question, however…If he told her he said Hermione's name because he was fantasizing about the young witch, his relationship would be over. Unfortunately for him, he wasn't exactly an accomplished liar.

"I honestly don't know," he said softly, watching as Tonks scoffed at his answer.

"Please don't lie to me," she said, a trace of anger appearing in her voice.

Remus nearly flinched at her words, knowing things were headed in a dangerous direction. While he cared deeply for Tonks, he knew there was a side to her that few had ever seen. She was first and foremost a Black, which meant there was a darker, nastier side to her personality. He hadn't seen it too often, mercifully, but it was obvious it was starting to edge its way out.

"I've had a lot on my mind lately," he began slowly, ignoring the snort Tonks made, "I know I shouldn't have been thinking about work when we were together, but I've been under a lot of stress lately-"

"If you were thinking about work, why say _her _name? You work with several females, not _her, _so that doesn't explain why you said her name," Tonks argued, her voice no longer sounding small as she interrupted him. Her hair had turned a deeper shade of red, a sure sign her patience was dwindling.

"I was thinking of asking for her help on a research project I was just assigned," Remus responded calmly. His statement was actually true, although it had nothing to do with why he said Hermione's name. While he knew it was wrong to mislead Tonks, he couldn't bring himself to confess the _entire _truth about his mistake, especially since she had turned from hurt to angry in a matter of seconds.

She was silent for a few moments, her brow furrowed in thought. He waited patiently for her to respond, hoping she wouldn't hex him too badly. He wouldn't even be able to put up much of a defense, seeing as how he actually deserved it. "So you're saying you aren't sleeping with Hermione, and you only said her name because you were distracted by work?" She asked, arching an eyebrow at him as if she were daring him to refute her.

"Yes," he replied, ridiculously pleased his voice didn't crack. Her face was still a mask of doubt as he continued. "I'm so sorry, Tonks, and I swear to you it won't happen again." His apology sounded weak to his ears, but she seemed to be mulling over at the moment.

"I believe you," she stated finally, moving swiftly to place herself in his lap.

He simply stared up at her, dumbfounded by her seemingly sudden willingness to forgive him. "You do?" He asked stupidly, trying and failing miserably to come up with a more suitable response.

"Yes!" She answered firmly, pulling him closer to press her lips against his. It was a brief, quick kiss, and she pulled away before he would gather his wits and respond. "Now, I have to go to the loo, but when I come back, you can take me out to eat and start making it up to me."

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she bounced up from his lap, heading towards the loo. He rubbed the back of his neck, not entirely sure what had just happened. He had expected her to curse him, hex him…at least _yell _at him. Instead, she asks a few questions, then declares he's taking her out to eat as his penance. It was certainly bizarre behavior, even for Tonks.

As elated as he was to have the whole ordeal behind him, he couldn't quite get rid of the uneasy feeling in his stomach. If his instincts were right, Tonks was still a long way away from truly forgiving him…

Hermione's POV

The next few weeks seemed to return to some semblance of normality. Hermione spent the majority of her time at work, and Tonks spent the majority of her time with Remus…at _his _place. They had apparently worked out their differences, and Tonks had forgiven him for his minor transgression. Ginny commented on how the tension had finally eased somewhat in the flat, and Hermione was thankful for the development. Tonks was a great flatmate, and she hated the thought that one slip of the tongue could ruin a great relationship.

Hermione had also decided not to worry about her reaction to Remus. Naturally, he was a very handsome man, and any woman in her right mind would find him attractive. It didn't mean that she had acted inappropriately, or that she thought of him as more than a friend. They had always been good friends, and she saw no reason why that couldn't continue…

The only problem was _Tonks. _Hermione was fairly certain Remus had been instructed not to see her since the 'incident', and she found that she missed him. Not in a romantic sense, of course, but she missed having a kindred soul that enjoyed talking about the same things, reading the same books, etc. Harry and Ron couldn't name even one of the twenty best-sellers currently at Flourish & Bott's, but they knew the lineups of their favorite Quidditch teams by heart. Ginny and Tonks weren't much better, so Remus was about her only ally, and now he was gone.

Just as she was finishing up her last report, she heard her door open. She placed her quill back in its spot before slowly raising her head. She rarely locked her door, so it was a fairly commonplace occurrence to have an employee waltz in just as she was leaving for the day. Instead of an employee, however, she found the very man she was thinking of in front of her. "Remus?" She managed to get out, not bothering to hide her shock at seeing him.

"Hermione, I hope I'm not interrupting anything," he said, taking a tentative step inside her door.

"Of course not, come in," she replied hurriedly, walking around her desk to close the door. She paused for just a moment before placing a quick locking and silencing charm on the door. _Just in case, _she told herself. "What can I do for you?"

Remus's POV

He felt ridiculous going to see Hermione at her office, but he was getting desperate. While he had managed to get Tonks to 'forgive' him, she had still done everything but expressly forbidden him to talk with Hermione. He could certainly understand her reaction given his earlier error, but he found himself missing Hermione more than he thought possible. He was so used to having her available for an intellectual conversation, and he didn't realize how much he had come to depend on her for that.

He watched as Hermione shut the door, then walked slowly back to her desk. Even without his heightened senses, he could tell she was as nervous as he was. He knew it was utterly ridiculous for them to be nervous around each other, but it didn't ease the pounding of his heart in the least. "I wanted to talk to you for a few minutes, if that's okay," he began, happy to see her nod in response.

"I wanted to talk to you, too," she admitted almost shyly.

"You did?" Remus asked, nearly cringing at the sound of his own voice, but she thankfully smiled back at him as she nodded.

"Well, I realized…" his voice trailed off as he tried to find the appropriate words. He felt like he was walking a _very _fine line…blindfolded. "I'm not exactly sure how to say this, but…" He stopped a second time, words once again failing him. Hermione was still smiling patiently at him, no sign of the irritation he felt for himself. "I missed you," he blurted out.

He looked on, mortified, as Hermione blinked, shaking her head slightly as if she had misheard him. He wanted to say something else to cover his blunder, but his mind had suddenly decided to go blank. _Why was it so difficult to talk to her now? Why did I have to tell her I missed her? _

"I've missed you, too," she replied softly, her smile growing wider. "I wasn't sure Tonks would ever let you speak to me again."

"Well, she hasn't exactly _let _me," he admitted, giving her an apologetic look. "She doesn't know I'm here."

Her smile faltered a little as she held his gaze. "I can't say that I'm surprised." She sighed a little before adding, "I suppose you probably shouldn't be here then."

Her tone as casual, almost nonchalant, but Remus could see the hurt in her eyes. As much as he cared for Tonks, he couldn't bear shutting Hermione out of his life. She had been a true friend to him ever since her third year when she discovered his secret. He didn't realize it at the time, but she had proven it over and over again – she was one of the most loyal friends a person could ever have. _How could he possibly give that up now, especially when _she _had done nothing wrong? _

"Probably not, but I had to see you anyway," he responded, feeling somewhat awkward saying those words. It was a phrase more befitting of long-lost lovers, not close-knit friends. A voice in the back of his head reminded him that he _had _thought of Hermione as a lover on more than one occasion, which was the cause for the predicament he was in at the moment. "Tonks claims she's forgiven me, but it's painfully obvious she hasn't. It may be months before she truly gets over this, and in the meantime…I, well, I-I don't want our friendship to die."

He was rewarded with a small quirk of her lips at his declaration. He had hoped she wouldn't scold him for being melodramatic, but he was honestly a little lost without her. For years, he had harbored a secret grudge against Harry and Ron, feeling that both boys, especially Ron, took Hermione for granted. On more than one occasion he had remarked that neither boy deserved her, and he still felt that way…the past few weeks, however, had made him realize that he, too, hadn't fully appreciated everything she had done for him.

"I don't either," she responded quietly, her bright eyes shining. She paused for a moment before asking tentatively, "Remus, would you like to have lunch with me sometime?"

Hermione's POV

She never would have guessed that Remus's initial visit to her office would result in weekly lunches with the werewolf from that point forward. She had been a bit worried that he would think her presumptuous for asking him to lunch, but he thankfully seemed delighted with the idea. Knowing instinctively that Tonks wouldn't be happy with the arrangement, they took numerous precautions to keep things low profile.

Remus would always owl her beforehand, making sure she could fit him into her schedule. She only responded to his note if she wasn't able to meet, which so far, hadn't actually occurred. She would always have lunch delivered to her office a few minutes beforehand, and he would apparate in right on schedule. He usually dropped by once or twice a week, and she quickly found herself counting the days until his next visit.

The lunches were filled with intelligent conversation, nearly none of which involved Quidditch or the latest joke shop item. For the most part, Remus had confided in her about his relationship with Tonks. The metamorphmagus was still rather sore over what had happened, despite her claims to be 'fine' with the situation. It seemed every time there was a disagreement between them, she was quick to throw his mistake in his face, a development that was driving Remus barmy.

"What have we here?" Remus asked, leaning over her desk to examine the food she had sent for. She once again instructed herself not to focus on the wonderful, musky scent of his cologne. It caused her mind to wander in very dangerous directions, a habit she was desperately trying to break _without _much success thus far.

"Turkey sandwiches," she replied with a grin. She slowly opened the plain white bakery box next to the sandwiches as she added, "And, of course, a chocolate cake."

Remus's face split into a wide grin as he eyes the delectable dessert. "You know me too well, 'Mione," he murmured, his lips turned upwards in a satisfied smirk. "I don't know what I would do without you."

She merely smiled back, hoping he couldn't detect how her heart raced at his words. She knew he only viewed her as a friend, but it was getting more and more difficult to keep her feelings locked away in the platonic realm. Just staring at his handsome lean figure clad in a white button-up shirt and tan slacks made her mouth water…Taking a deep breath, she willingly forced the images of Remus out of her head. _You're just lonely, _she mentally coached herself, _you just need to be properly shagged, and this feeling will go away…just _don't _shag Remus. _

Remus's POV

He wasn't sure what he wanted to devour first – Hermione or the chocolate cake. _Stop it! _He silently scolded himself. As much as he enjoyed the lunches with Hermione, there was a part of him that was consumed with guilt each time he saw her. He was supposed to be in love with Tonks, or at least dating her…yet, he found himself picturing Hermione beneath him in bed, beside him in the shower, on top of him in the armchair…

"Remus?" Hermione inquired, leaning forward slightly with a concerned look on her face. "Are you okay? You sort of spaced out for a moment."

"Sorry about that," he responded, feeling a blush make its way up his neck. If she knew what he had been thinking, he _highly _doubted she would look quite so concerned about him. "I've had a rather overwhelming day," he explained.

"Oh? What happened?" She asked, her genuine look of interest nearly breaking his heart. It was just another area in which he couldn't help but compare Hermione to Tonks. While Tonks pretended to care about his work, her eyes would inevitably glaze over as soon as he started discussing his day. He knew working in the Department for the Care of Magical Creatures wasn't quite as exciting as being an Auror, but it still bothered him how disinterested she appeared to be in his career. Hermione, on the other hand, always seemed so fascinated with the somewhat mundane details of his workday.

He was just about to tell her how much he appreciated her listening to him when a sharp knock drew him out of his thoughts.

Kingsley's POV

As Minister of Magic, many people incorrectly assumed he spent the majority of his day wrapped up in administrative decisions, spending hours agonizing over little useless details of various issues. In reality, however, he left the more routine decisions in the hands of others while he focused on a few pet projects. As soon as he was named Minister, he began surrounding himself with the most competent people he could find…naturally, Hermione Granger made the list.

Since she was a prize protégé of his, he made it his business to keep an eye on her. While she was possibly the brightest witch he had ever met, she was also somewhat naïve in the ways of the world. His years as an Auror had given him a natural distrust of people, while Hermione stubbornly gave everyone the benefit of the doubt. On more than one occasion, he had to quietly _discourage _a few young, brash, would-be suitors from pursuing the lovely Miss Granger. Since the war, Harry and Ron had loosened up on the 'over-protective brother' bit, and Kingsley was more than happy to pick up their slack.

Lately, however, he noticed she was being pursued by someone who was neither young nor brash…_Remus Lupin_. While Remus would vehemently deny he was pursuing Hermione, Kingsley knew he was attracted to the beautiful witch. Tonks and Remus were still technically a couple, but a very ill-matched one in his opinion. He was surprised they were still together…but he wasn't entirely sure how much longer that statement would be true. For the past few weeks, Remus Lupin and Hermione Granger had been having lunch in her office a few times a week. Knowing both of them, he highly doubted anything inappropriate was going on, but it was still a very interesting development, especially since he was almost certain Tonks was unaware of the lunch dates.

Kingsley was anything but a romantic; however, he did realize when an opportunity presented itself in the form of a relationship. He firmly believed Remus and Hermione would make a wonderful couple…and he also firmly believed he should take full advantage of it. While he felt sorry for whatever might happen to Tonks, he knew she would be much happier in the long run with a man who loved her the way she deserved.

"Miss Granger?" Kingsley said, knocking loudly on her door. He knew Remus was still in there, and he briefly wondered if the werewolf would attempt to apparate out to prevent being discovered.

"Hello, Mr. Shacklebolt," Hermione replied with a red face as she opened the door. Remus was sitting in a chair facing her desk, and he turned slightly to give him a smile, his cheeks also stained pink.

Kingsley fought the urge to smirk, and instead walked resolutely ahead, careful to shut the door firmly behind him. "You two are just the people I wanted to see." Almost as an afterthought, he added, "And please call me Kingsley, Hermione."

She merely blushed harder as she nodded, hurrying to take her seat behind her oak desk. Kingsley folded his long frame into an empty chair next to Lupin. "I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" He questioned, giving each of them an innocent smile.

"Of course not," Remus immediately replied, regarding him somewhat warily. They had become very good friends while serving in the Order together, but Remus had always been careful about not appearing _too _close to Kingsley. He hated the idea of someone, _anyone, _thinking he had received his post only as a favor from the Minister of Magic.

"Excellent, because I have a proposition that might interest you," he said, watching with pleasure as both their heads snapped up in surprise. "You may or may not have heard, but the Wizarding World will be revisiting the idea of expanding rights to some of the magical creatures we have neglected in previous years."

"I believe I heard Harold Baker discussing something along those lines earlier this week," Hermione commented, her brow furrowing in thought as her expression quickly changed from embarrassed to interested. He smiled inwardly, happy to hear his plan had succeeded. He purposefully let a few details slip to Harold, knowing the poor man would go running to Hermione in a vain attempt to impress her. While he never made any overt advances, he would practically start drooling whenever she happened to walk by his office. When Kingsley realized Hermione would be perfect for his new project, he knew Harold would be more than happy to fill her in on all the details, keeping Kingsley above suspicion of playing favorites.

"Well, I'm glad to see you're at least a little familiar with the idea," Kingsley stated, nodding in response. He almost felt a little guilty for being so manipulative, but he figured it came with being Minister, almost like a requirement. "Because we are hoping to focus the majority of the Ministry's efforts on expanding rights for werewolves."


	5. Sharing the Good News

Remus's POV

To say he was embarrassed at Kingsley's interruption was an understatement. While he and Hermione had never actually _discussed _keeping their lunches secret, it was understood they needed to keep all contact under the radar. Having the Minister of Magic discover them…alone…in the middle of the day in her office wasn't exactly the definition of discretion.

If he was honest with himself, he would admit that he wasn't nearly as concerned with discretion now as he was a few weeks ago. When he first started eating lunch with Hermione, he had been nervous that Tonks would somehow find out, and his relationship would be over. The more time he spent with Hermione, however, the more he realized that his relationship with Tonks wasn't the only thing worthwhile in his life. He had underestimated his friendships, and he was slowly starting to rediscover the warmth of a loyal friend…he hadn't felt that way since the Marauders.

"I'm sorry, did you say werewolves?" Remus asked, a bit surprised that the Ministry had chosen to help his 'breed'. Kingsley had made no secret of his plans to help 'less fortunate' magical creatures, but Remus assumed he would start with the less controversial creatures, like centaurs or merpeople. Even though most werewolves stayed out of the War, there were a few who fought with Voldemort, and the public would likely only remember the harm those few had caused.

"Yes," Kingsley confirmed, keeping his posture straight as he turned to glance at him. He almost looked as if he were on his throne, with his regal dress robes and somewhat haughty expression. Kingsley had been a bit reluctant to accept the position of Minister at first, but those who knew him realized he was born for the job. "We felt with the relatively large number of wizards and witches infected during the past few years, it would be beneficial to educate as many people as possible about werewolves."

"So is the objective simply to educate others or is it to change the current laws regarding werewolves?" Hermione asked, leaning forward slightly in her chair. He stole a quick glance at her, nearly awed by how radiant she looked. Her eyes were bright, and he could practically see the wheels turning in her head. She was easily one of the prettiest witches he had ever laid eyes on, but he found her mind even more intriguing than her lovely physique.

"It's actually _both," _Kingsley replied smoothly, a small smile playing on his lips. "The first part of the process will be centered on a number of speaking arrangements, a few here in England but most will be abroad," he explained, his eyes sweeping back and forth between him and Hermione. "Once the various presentations have been conducted, the project will culminate in a formal proposal, given by myself, at the International Wizarding Conference six months from now."

The room was silent for a few moments while they digested his words. It sounded terribly exciting, but he knew enough not to get his hopes up. Most of society either despised werewolves or they were terrified of them; not exactly a recipe for success. Regardless, he felt his admiration for Kingsley bloom, realizing his friend was willing to take an unpopular stance and defend his kind.

"Well, I think I speak for both of us when I say I'm thrilled with the idea," Hermione said, sending a shy smile to Remus. He felt his heart melt a little at the sweet look on her face. "How can we help?"

Hermione's POV

Despite being caught in her office with Remus, Hermione found herself thankful Kingsley had stopped by. When Harold had mentioned the 'project' to her earlier, she had assumed he was simply making up a juicy tidbit so she would talk to him. He had made his interest in her known on more than one occasion, and even though she had politely turned him down each time, he still held out hope for a possible romance in the future. Now, however, she was thankful for his little crush because the rumors turned out to be true!

"I'm glad you asked, Hermione," Kingsley said, giving her what she could only describe as a sinister smile. "I was hoping to enlist both of you for the first part of the project."

"You want us to give presentations on werewolves?" Remus inquired, his voice a little uncertain. She could tell he was already waging an inner battle, forcing himself to temper his hope with skepticism.

"That's _part _of what I would like for you to do," Kingsley answered. "As much as you would like to deny it, Remus, you are perhaps the best-known werewolf in the world. And, Hermione, you are one of the best-known witches in the world."

She felt herself blush slightly at his words, silently cursing her fair complexion. Before she could protest, he continued, "The presentation will require a great deal of research and organization, and truthfully, a bit of debating as well. We anticipate a fair amount of resistance at first, so we naturally wanted individuals who were both clever as well as difficult to anger in an argument. It also helps that both of you are extremely well-known, and according to The Daily Prophet, quite popular as well. There will be no shortage of interviews during this process."

Before Hermione even had a chance to blush, Kingsley glanced quickly at Remus and added in a matter-of-fact voice, "There will also be a few physical examinations, Remus, and I was hoping you would be a part of those-"

"Remus is _not _a science experiment," Hermione snapped, feeling both sets of eyes quickly turn towards her. Realizing she had just rudely interrupted one of the most powerful wizards in the world, she quickly added, "Minister," hoping to soften her outburst.

Kingsley merely smirked as he nodded. "Well said, Miss Granger, and I believe I asked you to call me Kingsley," he drawled, reminding her for a brief second of Draco Malfoy. "I hope you know I would never think of Remus that way, and I certainly don't intend to make him part of any inhumane experiment," he finished in a low voice, keeping a steady gaze on her.

She could feel the heat rise in her cheeks again, and she felt the need to cover up her emotional outburst. "I apologize, sir, it's just that I want to be sure that Remus, along with all the other werewolves, is given the proper respect during these presentations. If this turns out to be some sort of circus or freak-show, I want no part in it."

She kept her voice firm, hoping it didn't belie the fact that her heart was beating a million miles a minute. She realized the danger in taking such a hard line with Kingsley, but she couldn't leave that to chance. Remus was too important…the nagging voice in her head once again reminded her that perhaps she had _let _him become too important…_to her_.

Remus's POV

Watching Hermione nearly pounce on Kingsley, all to defend him, was wreaking havoc with his self-control. He forcibly reminded himself that Tonks had defended him as well on _numerous _occasions, but another voice piped up…_Tonks never browbeat the Minister of Magic for you. _

"This is precisely why I wanted you to be with Remus during these presentations," Kingsley replied, his smile never faltering. Remus got the impression he knew _exactly _what he was doing, and pushing Hermione's buttons had been all a part of his plan. "We need someone who is both familiar with werewolves and a supporter of them. The fact that you are almost unbearably intelligent," he said with an almost flawless imitation of Snape, "makes it a very easy choice for me."

Hermione seemed to relax at his words, although Remus could tell she was still somewhat embarrassed at her earlier words. She truly was a passionate witch, and he found it increasingly difficult not to imagine just how passionate she might be in bed…_with him…_

After a few more minutes of explanation by Kingsley, he rose from his chair. Heading towards the door, he turned back to address them one final time. "While I'm fairly certain this project _will _happen, I must insist that you do not speak of it outside this room." Remus raised his eyebrows in surprise at Kingsley's firm tone. "I expect both of you to keep this to yourselves until you have received confirmation that the project has been approved by the requisite individuals."

Hermione and Remus both nodded their heads in consent. Kingsley gave them a hard stare before muttering, "If _anyone, _and that includes significant others, soulmates, lovers, _or_ lifelong friends finds out the details of the project before it's approved, it could jeopardize _everything." _

Hermione's POV

For the next week, she kept her mouth shut regarding Kingsley's project. While it was difficult keeping a secret from Ginny, and especially Harry, she would happily do whatever it took to ensure the project was approved. For years, no one wanted to even _discuss _the topic of werewolves, much less attend a conference where an actual werewolf was present. Now, however, they might possibly have the opportunity to discuss the werewolves' plight with individuals from all over Europe!

Shaking her head, she forced herself to relax again. She found herself getting riled up at the mere thought of finally being able to make a difference in the Wizarding World. Her childhood campaign to help house elves had long since been abandoned, and she had to admit it wasn't exactly a stellar success. Of course, the house elves seemed quite content with their current status, while she _knew _the werewolves did not….which was why she wanted to succeed so badly.

"Hermione, dear, you've hardly touched your food," Mrs. Weasley commented, wagging her finger good-naturedly at her.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Weasley," she replied with a smile, taking a bite of her roast to satisfy the older woman. She, along with the usual crowd, was at the Weasley's for the customary Sunday dinner. She had purposefully sat as far away from Remus as possible, not wanting to cause any more unnecessary problems. Tonks was happily chatting with those around her, and Hermione couldn't help but notice that Remus looked as distracted as she felt.

She quickly rose from the table under the guise of helping Molly with the dessert. In reality, she needed a chance to gather her thoughts. Being at the Weasley's was always a lot of fun, but it didn't give a person time to think. There were so many pairs of eyes around, it was nearly impossible to think without someone inquiring as to her thoughts. Since she couldn't very well talk about the project, she welcomed any opportunity to distance herself for a few moments.

She was just headed back to the table when two owls came swooping into The Burrow, hooting loudly as they flapped their wings. Molly nearly dropped the dessert as she let out a loud shriek from their unexpected presence. Harry and the twins chuckled quietly at her reaction, while the owls circled around the table, looking for their destination. Much to her surprise, one of the owls dropped an official-looking parchment into her hands. She immediately recognized Kingsley's personal seal, and her heart jumped in her throat.

She tore into the parchment, not even realizing where the other owl landed. Her eyes immediately began skimming the document, her palms already sweating with anticipation. The words she was wanting to see practically jumped off the page at her…._the project has been approved…feel free to discuss the terms of the assignment with those around you…_

With a huge grin on her face, she glanced up to find Remus's expression mirroring her own. Apparently, the other owl had dropped a similar parchment in his hands, and now he, too, was aware the project had been approved. He had jumped up from the table to read the note, and they were now standing there in the kitchen, staring at each other while grinning like fools.

Without thinking, Hermione launched herself into Remus's open arms.

Remus's POV

As soon as he read the letter, he wanted to shout it from the rooftops. _It was finally happening! _He had told himself not to become too excited about the idea, but deep down he knew he would be devastated if it wasn't approved. For the first time in his life, he felt like he could do something to not only help _his_ situation, but help the situations for hundreds of others. After years of being ostracized by society, he could now freely discuss his lycanthropy in hopes of dispelling some of the long-standing myths about his kind.

He barely had time to register those thoughts before Hermione threw her arms around his neck, pressing her warm body against his. Even with Tonks sitting only two feet away, he couldn't stop himself from wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her even closer. He probably would have gladly stayed in the embrace had Tonks not cleared her throat in a rather vicious manner.

Hermione immediately jumped away from him, giving a small squeak as she did. He fought to keep his features from showing his disappointment at the loss of contact. Instead, he smiled down at her adorably flushed face, thrilled to see she was so happy. He could see Tonks' angry expression, however, out of the corner of his eye, and he quickly turned to address the unasked questions of the somewhat stunned audience.

"The Ministry will be holding a series of conferences on the truth behind magical creatures," he began, watching as they continued eyeing him and Hermione with interest. She had taken a step away from him, but he held onto her hand, not wanting to let her go just yet. "Hermione and I were chosen to present the information for werewolves."

He couldn't keep the touch of pride out of his voice, and he knew his chest was puffed out a little as he delivered the news. Despite his elation at the news, he was a little worried about the reaction of their friends…until he saw Hermione's face, beaming up at him. He suddenly realized it didn't matter what anyone else thought; if they couldn't be happy for him, at least Hermione would be at his side.

"That's brilliant!" Harry exclaimed, jumping up from his seat to hug Hermione. Remus let out an audible sigh of relief as one by one, everyone joined in the celebration. The twins began immediately shouting out questions, while Molly was dabbing at her eyes.

"I'm just so happy for you Remus," Molly began, shaking her head slightly as she blinked back more tears. "I know you'll both do a wonderful job."

"Thank you," he replied with a smile, turning once again to stare at Hermione. "We'll have to travel quite a bit, but we'll be able to speak with wizards and witches from nearly twenty different countries."

Harry's POV

While he was a little shocked to see Hermione rush into Remus's arms, he was even more surprised to find that it almost seemed natural to him. Even with Tonks and Remus being an unconventional couple, something had always seemed…_off_ about them. Embraces between them seemed almost stilted at times, which seemed rather odd since they had been together so long. Hermione and Remus, on the other hand, looked like long-lost lovers clinging to each other for dear life. He also found it odd that Remus hadn't let go of Hermione's hand yet…

Obviously, he couldn't very well express his opinion on the matter, so he quickly turned his attention to the news about the upcoming werewolf conferences. He was honestly thrilled for his friends, no matter how unusual their friendship was. "How long will you be traveling?" He asked over the din of the excited Weasleys.

"About six months, according to Kingsley, but we'll have a break every few weeks." Hermione answered with a smile. It was plain to see she was absolutely ecstatic about the project, and he was excited for her.

Not being able to resist a little teasing, he added innocently, "You weren't picked to help with the liberation of the house elves?"

As expected, his question earned him more than a few chuckles from Ron, Ginny, and the twins. Hermione shot him a mock glare, but he knew her heart wasn't in it. "No, I wasn't, you prat," she replied as she fought back a smile.

"Yeah, was what it again? Spew?" George asked, his finger placed on his chin in a supposedly thoughtful manner.

"Oh, no, dear brother, it was S.P.E.W. How could you forget?" Fred piped up, shooting Hermione a beaming smile.

Hermione was about to respond with what Harry was sure was a scathing remark when Tonks suddenly spoke up. "Remus, could I speak with you outside for a moment?"

Her icy tone wasn't lost on anyone, and Hermione actually flinched at the sound of her voice. Remus merely nodded his head, eyeing Tonks with a curious look as he followed her outside.

"What was that about?" Ron asked, giving Harry a bewildered look. Harry merely shrugged his shoulders in response, choosing not to voice his suspicions out loud. Unless he was mistaken, he was fairly certain Tonks wasn't too happy with Remus spending six months traveling with Hermione. After what happened three months ago, Harry wasn't entirely sure he could blame the pink-haired witch.


	6. Objections

Remus's POV

"What exactly did you want to discuss?" Remus asked, keeping his tone firm and detached. He could tell Tonks was upset about his assignment with Hermione, but he was determined to make her see reason.

"Oh nothing," Tonks said sarcastically, "just the fact that you're going to be spending the next six months traveling all over the continent with Hermione-bleeding-Granger!" Her voice had risen with each word, and she was practically shouting by the end of her outburst.

"There's no need to shout, love," he replied, trying to take a step closer to her. She immediately retreated a step, snatching her arm out of his reach.

"Did you request Hermione as your companion?" She asked in an accusatory tone, her blue eyes blazing.

"No!" Remus replied, indignation lacing his tone. While he was certainly happy with Hermione being chosen as his partner, he wasn't about to take the blame for selecting her. "The Ministry picked both of us. Neither one of us had anything to do with it."

Tonks merely snorted in response, clearly not buying his story. She eyed him for another moment before asking, "Then why didn't you tell me about this earlier?"

"I wasn't able to," he responded, pausing while Tonks rolled her eyes in disbelief. "Neither one of us was allowed to mention the project until it was approved."

"Why didn't you just tell him no?"

"Tell who no?" Remus asked, confused.

"Kingsley, of course," she responded simply, immediately deducing it was the Minister himself who gave the order. "I _know_ he's the one who put you up to this. Can't you just tell him you're too busy with work right now, and you aren't able to do it?"

If she didn't have such a hopeful expression on her face, he would have laughed out loud. "Are you seriously asking me to turn down this opportunity?" He knew his mouth was hanging open in shock, but he was absolutely floored at her suggestion. While he was aware Tonks wasn't a big fan of Hermione and him spending time together, he never dreamed she would actually want him to back out of the project.

"What's so wrong with that?" She demanded, placing her hands on her hips. "You're going to be spending all that time with _her, _and after what happened," she paused to send him a pointed stare, "I don't think that's a good idea."

"We're going to be spending all of our time trying to educate others about werewolves," he reasoned, becoming frustrated with her response. _Didn't she see how important it was to him? _"I've dreamed of being able to speak openly about my lycanthropy for years now, and I finally have a shot at doing just that."

"I don't care what you're supposedly doing, you're going to be with _her_ the whole time, and I won't stand for it," she declared, sticking her chin out in a stubborn manner. The bitter emphasis she put on 'her' let him know that she couldn't care less about the project itself; her only concern was Hermione.

He let out a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. It wouldn't do any good to lose his temper, but he was dangerously close to doing so at the moment. He and Tonks had fought before, of course, but she had never been quite so…_obstinate. _"I'm sorry you feel that way, but I'm not backing out of the assignment," Remus responded evenly.

Tonks looked as if she might cry for a moment, then her face brightened again. "Well, if you can't back out, can't you at least request someone other than Hermione to go with you?"

"No!" Came his vehement reply, surprising himself and Tonks. He didn't mean to sound so forceful, but the very idea of replacing Hermione was utterly ridiculous. "You know she's one of the-"

"I know, I know," Tonks interrupted, rolling her eyes again. "She's the brightest witch of her age," she mimicked, scrunching up her face in a disgusted expression.

"Yes, she is," Remus said icily, his eyes narrowing. "With all that she's accomplished in Magical Cooperation, I'd say she's probably more important to this project than I am."

"If _she's_ so important, then why don't _you_ back out?" Tonks snapped, her voice rising yet again.

"No one is backing out, Tonks," he responded, his temper flaring. "This is a chance of a lifetime, and I can't believe you're even asking me to _consider_ backing out."

"I can't believe you would go, even though I've asked you not to," she shot back, taking a step closer.

"Believe it," he said calmly, watching as her eyes narrowed further. He cared deeply for her, but he wasn't about to let his dream pass him by because she was too immature to see the big picture.

Tonks stared at him for nearly a full minute, her lips drawn into a thin line. She almost reminded him of Minerva with the clear frown of disapproval on her face. "I didn't want to do this, but if you go with her Remus…" her voice trailed off for a moment, "we're through."

She said it so softly, his ears could barely pick up the words. His eyes widened briefly in shock, not quite believing she would go that far with her objections. "It's either her or me, Remus."

He stared down at the shorter witch, his anger nearly bubbling to the surface. Forcing down the urge to shake her, he replied evenly, "I know you're upset because of what happened earlier, but it was 3 months ago, Tonks! You're acting incredibly selfish and immature right now-"

"_I'm_ not the one who is throwing away our relationship _again_," she protested, jabbing a finger in his chest.

Without thinking, he grabbed onto her wrist, applying just enough pressure to make her wince. He could feel the blood pounding in his ears, and he fought to keep from tightening his grip. "That's where you're wrong," he countered. "If _you_ want to throw it away because you don't trust me enough, fine, but I'll be damned if I'll let you _blackmail_ me into missing this opportunity."

He released her wrist as he pushed her away, sending her reeling a few steps. She looked at him, her eyes wide with shock, as her mouth hung open. He didn't bother waiting for an answer as he strode towards the house again. He needed to get away from her before he lost complete control over his temper.

"If you walk in that house, we're over!" She yelled behind him.

He didn't even break his stride as he opened the kitchen door and walked through, slamming the door shut behind him.

Hermione's POV

Tonks's outburst was a little awkward, but things were thankfully smoothed over once she and Remus stepped outside. Ginny was already pumping her for information on where they would be going, and when she could come and visit.

"Of course I'll have to check with Kingsley, but I'm sure all of you will be welcome to attend any of the conferences you want," she said, earning an excited smile from each of the Weasleys.

"Are there any here in England?" Arthur inquired as he finished off the last of his dessert.

"Several, as a matter of fact," she replied. "Kingsley is supposed to give us the entire list of places and dates next week, so I'll be sure to let you know. We obviously have to work around the full moon," she added with a wry smile.

"Do you really think they will change the laws for werewolves?" Molly asked, her face brimming with hope. "It would be so wonderful for Remus if they did."

Hermione smiled, so excited to have the support of her friends. Everyone was so thrilled for her and Remus, she nearly forgot about Tonks. "I certainly think it will help," she answered confidently. "Kingsley will be heavily involved in the project, and since he's already approved Remus to work in the Department of Magical Creatures, we're hoping the other Ministries will follow his example."

Fred had opened his mouth to speak, but he was cut off by the slamming of the door. Everyone, Hermione included, jerked their heads in the direction of the unexpected noise, only to find a very angry Remus striding towards them, his jaw twitching in an ominous manner.

"Is everything okay?" Hermione asked softly, not wanting to upset him anymore than he already was. She silently thanked the gods that the conference delegates couldn't see him now because he looked downright dangerous at the moment. Everyone else in the room was practically motionless, no one moving or speaking.

Remus turned to her, his eyes almost wild. He simply stared through her for a few moments before his features finally relaxed, and his lips quirked up in a half smile. "Everything will be fine," he assured her, shaking his head slightly as he fought to resume his normal breathing. "I apologize for the door, Molly."

"It's no problem, dear," she hastily replied, glancing quickly at Arthur. "Are you sure you're okay? You seem rather…upset."

Hermione had to fight the urge to laugh at her gross understatement. Remus had looked _livid_ when he entered the house, although at the moment he seemed to have calmed down somewhat. "Tonks and I had a…_disagreement_, that's all," he answered, taking a seat beside Hermione.

Before she had a chance to ask any more questions, Tonks burst through the kitchen door, her hair now a brilliant dark red. Hermione scooted slightly away from Remus, realizing the Auror wouldn't be happy with her proximity to the wizard. "So you're just going to walk away from us?" Tonks spat, glaring at Remus.

"Tonks, this conversation is over," he replied in a low voice, positioning his body to return her glare. "I'm not backing out of the project, and neither is Hermione."

Hermione could feel the older witch's heated glare, and she unconsciously gripped her wand under the table. She gathered from Remus's response that Tonks didn't approve of them working together, and she was almost certain she would be the next target of Tonks's wrath. Taking a quick glance around the table, she found similar expressions of unease on everyone else's face.

"I suppose you must be pleased with yourself, Hermione," Tonks said calmly with an evil smile. "You've managed to steal him away from me after all."

"You should know that neither Remus nor I would ever do that to you," Hermione protested. Guilt swirled in her stomach as she realized she had contemplated that very act more than once. She hadn't been with Remus, but it was much harder to resist the temptation than she had originally thought. It had never occurred to her that Remus found her attractive, but ever since she found out, she was finding it more and more difficult to keep her own feelings in check.

Tonks gave a mirthless laugh, her eyes still blazing. "Tell me, what _exactly_ did you do for Kingsley to get the assignment?"

Hermione sat motionless, shocked that Tonks would be so nasty to her. While she was aware of her temper, having lived with her for several months, Tonks had _never_ been so mean-spirited before. She wanted to respond to her, but she never got the chance.

In a split-second, Remus had jumped up from the table, stepping in between Tonks and her. "Leave her alone, Nymphadora," he said in a dangerously low voice. Hermione nearly shivered at the threatening tone of his voice. "You're making a fool of yourself right now, and you need to leave."

"What if I don't want to?" Tonks replied, her chin sticking up defiantly. She still looked angry, but there was a definite note of nervousness in her voice.

Before Remus could respond, Molly Weasley spoke up, surprising them all. "Tonks!" she said firmly, making the younger witch turn towards her, her mouth turned down into a frown usually reserved for the twins.

Hermione half expected Tonks to start laughing again, but she dropped her head instead, tears coming to her eyes. It seemed Molly could not only guilt her own children into behaving, but she managed to wield power over others as well. Tonks simply shook her head as she stepped away from Remus before apparating with a soft 'pop.'

She almost let out a sigh of relief, thinking the crisis had been averted. Her tension went back up, however, when Molly turned to Remus, and in a hard voice asked, "Would you care to explain what that was all about?"

Remus sighed tiredly, rubbing his eyes as he reclaimed his seat next to her. After a few moments, he opened his mouth slowly as he responded, "I hope you're not busy, because this is going to be a rather long story…"

Harry's POV

After Tonks's abrupt departure and Remus's embarrassing explanation, Harry was quite ready to leave The Burrow. It was too much emotional drama for him, which was saying a lot, considering his entire childhood was a non-stop roller coaster. Molly had instructed Ginny, Ron, and the twins to leave the table, and Harry had assumed his presence wouldn't be necessary either, but Remus had asked him to stay. He was quite proud of both Remus and Hermione, but he couldn't help but be a little concerned after witnessing the argument between Remus and Tonks. It was painfully obvious she didn't want Hermione involved, and Harry was getting the uneasy feeling that Remus and Tonks' relationship would be in trouble if something wasn't done.

The Weasleys managed to overlook Remus's earlier slip, and they seemed fairly sympathetic to him, as well as Tonks, but Molly was still not happy with how Hermione had been treated. She was like a second daughter to Molly, and she could be unyielding in her protectiveness of her. "Well," she began, shooting Remus a disapproving look, "I can certainly understand why Tonks wouldn't be happy with _you_, but that didn't give her the right to yell at Hermione."

"I will ask Kingsley tomorrow to find someone to replace me," Hermione said quietly as she sipped her tea. Her words were delivered in such a calm manner that it was as if she were merely commenting on the weather.

"Hermione, are you sure you want to-" Harry began.

"No!" Remus interrupted sharply, completely ignoring Harry. "We were _both _chosen and you know as well as I do that no one could do this as well as you," he argued.

"But it's not worth all the trouble it's causing between you and Tonks!" Hermione argued, shaking her head slightly. "I'm sure I can help train someone else for the presentations."

Remus held up his hand to silence any further objections. "Let me worry about Tonks," he told her firmly. He was silent for a moment before murmuring softly, "I need you with me on this."

Hermione glanced up in apparent surprise, a small smile gracing her lips. Harry could tell that as much as she wanted to argue with him, she was also quite pleased with his words.

"Promise me that you won't back out on me," Remus stated, grabbing Hermione's hand. Despite the numerous people surrounding them, they appeared to be lost in their own little world.

Hermione opened her mouth, hesitating a bit before answering, "Only if you promise the same."

Remus's face broke out into a grin, and he squeezed her hand before pulling her up to stand beside him. "Deal. Now that it's settled, how about we get a head start on our research?"

Unsurprisingly, Hermione's eye practically lit up at his suggestion. "I would love to!" She beamed, squeezing his hand back. Harry noted that, once again, they had failed to let go of each other's hands.

"Thank you again for everything," Hermione said to Arthur and Molly while Remus echoed the sentiments. They barely had time to respond before Remus practically dragged Hermione over to the fireplace to floo to Grimmauld Place.

Harry sent a worried glance to Arthur, who was currently staring at his wife with a concerned expression of his own. Sensing that they wanted to discuss the matter in private, Harry excused himself from the table, heading upstairs to find Ron.

On his way up, however, he heard Molly whisper to Arthur, "I hope Remus knows what he's doing because, if I didn't know better, I'd say he was starting to fancy our Hermione."


	7. Friends Again

Remus's POV

Remus didn't hear from Tonks for two days, and he found himself oddly relieved.  Lately, he felt like he was walking on eggshells whenever he was around her. She claimed to have forgiven him for uttering Hermione's name, but all evidence since that date pointed to the contrary. The strain of the last three months had finally caught up with him, and the argument at the Weasley's had been the last straw. His anger had long since dissipated, but he still didn't feel any desire to apologize.

So Tonks's sudden appearance at his office two days later, of course, was quite an unexpected one. He had opened his office door expecting to see Hermione, or perhaps Kingsley with information on the assignment. Instead, he sees his pink-haired girlfriend standing in the doorway, looking rather timid. "Tonks," he greeted her blandly, fighting the urge to sigh. He had a feeling her visit wouldn't be a pleasant one, and he wasn't looking forward to another argument.

"Before you say anything, I want you to know that I didn't come here to argue," Tonks blurted out, quickly shutting the door behind her. A few swishes of her wand later, the door was locked and the room was silenced.  "I actually came here to apologize."

"You did?" Remus asked, his eyebrows rising sharply. He was pleasantly surprised to hear the reason for her visit, even if the uneasy feeling in his stomach wasn't going away.

"I realized that getting angry at you wasn't going to solve anything, so I was hoping that we could have a civil conversation about…things," she explained patiently as she took a seat in the chair next to his desk.

Remus sat down at his desk as he ran his fingers through his hair. "Tonks," he began slowly, wanting to choose his words carefully, "I'm glad you want to talk about things, but I don't think right now is a good time."

"Please," she pleaded, leaning forward in her chair. "I just need to figure out some things before I can…" she stumbled over the last words, "move on."

He leaned back in his chair, not entirely sure how to respond. While she had threatened to end their relationship, he hadn't taken her threat seriously at the time, knowing she was upset. He fully expected her to wait a few days before approaching him, but now, it almost seemed like she was ending it for good…

"I didn't fully appreciate how much this opportunity means to you, and I'm sorry for that," Tonks explained, giving him a sheepish smile. "I was just so angry I didn't stop to think how you might be feeling."

Despite his earlier misgivings, he found himself becoming sympathetic to her once again. He smiled at her in response, urging her to continue.

"I know you care about me, and I care about you, and I don't want things to end like that," she added.

"I agree," Remus said, nodding his head. "I'm sorry I hurt you but this opportunity means the world to me."

Tonks was quiet for several moments before asking in a soft voice, "If you had to choose between us and your assignment, which would you honestly pick?"

Remus shook his head, not wanting to start down that road again. "Tonks, that isn't what this is about-"

"I just need to know, Remus," she interrupted, biting her lower lip. "If Kingsley had told you to choose between me and the werewolf project, which would you have chosen?"

"How am I supposed to answer that question?" Remus asked incredulously.

"Honestly," Tonks replied, her voice a little stronger.

"It's not that easy," he began, "I mean, it's not as if that situation has actually presented itself."

"Please just answer the question," she pleaded again, desperation seeping into her voice.

He wanted to deny her request again, but the pained expression on her face was almost too much. He briefly thought of lying before realizing he was one of the worst liars he knew. Even in school he barely managed to keep his lycanthropy a secret, and he had a lot of help from James and Sirius back then.

"The project," he answered hoarsely, fighting the urge to close his eyes.

"That's what I was afraid of," Tonks stated shakily. He could see a few tears make their way down her cheeks as she closed her eyes.

"Tonks, I…" his voice trailed off as the words died in his throat. He wanted to tell her he loved her, couldn't live without her, but he knew it simply wasn't true. He cared for her, of course, but he wasn't in love with her, and it wouldn't be fair to tell her otherwise, no matter how much the guilt gnawed at him.

"Please don't," she whispered, shaking her head slightly. After a few moments, she lifted up her head again, tears still running down her face. "I've been in love with you for a while, but I've always known you didn't feel that way. It's not your fault," she finished, giving him a watery smile.

"I'm sorry," he replied in a soft voice, standing up from his desk so he could comfort her. He felt no anger anymore, only sorrow that he had hurt her. He had been so desperate for a companion, _any _companion, that it never occurred to him someone would fall in love with him. He had never deemed himself capable of being loved…the cruel irony was that when it finally happened, it was with someone he couldn't love back.

Tonks hurriedly stood up from her chair, taking a step away from his embrace. "I'm just sorry I've been so unbearable the past few weeks. I want us to remain friends, if that's okay," she said, wiping the tears off her cheek with her sleeve.

"Of course," Remus said, his heart constricting. He hated causing anyone pain, especially one of the few who loved him. He stood awkwardly, not entirely sure what he should do.  While he was fairly certain she didn't want his condolences, he didn't want to appear completely unaffected either.

"I'll just show myself out," Tonks said, giving him a small smile as she headed towards the door.

"Tonks, I want you to know I…" Remus felt his voice give out on him again as she turned to face him, her expression one of pure sadness. There was no spark of hope, or ember of love in her eyes. It was finally over.

"I'll see you later," she whispered, closing the door behind her as she left, leaving him standing in the middle of his office…alone.

For the first time since Sirius's death, Remus cried.

Hermione's POV

The last person she expected to find waiting for her at her office was Nymphadora Tonks. She briefly considered calling in an Auror or two for backup, but she quickly discovered Tonks's visit wasn't going to be a confrontational one.  Instead of lashing out at her like Hermione expected, Tonks was apologetic, even going so far as to beg her forgiveness. Hermione was absolutely dumbfounded with the change in her attitude, and even more shocked to find she had indeed broken things off with Remus.

"Are you sure that's what you want?" Hermione asked gently, not wanting to upset her further with her question.

Tonks sighed, blowing her nose quietly before she responded. "It's not necessarily what I want _right now, _but I know it's best for me in the long run."

She said it so firmly, Hermione was tempted to believe her. Still, she couldn't quite accept that Tonks would give Remus up so easily after she had worked so hard to be with him.  "I still think he loves you," she blurted out, sending her an apologetic smile at her lack of tact.

"Yes, he does," she replied sadly, "but not the way I want him to. He loves me as a friend, but he's not _in love _with me. When he said your name, part of me was actually _happy _because I knew deep down that his guilt would bind him to me. How pathetic is that?" She shook her head for a moment before standing up from her chair. "I didn't mean to keep you this long, I just wanted to apologize for…" she stumbled over her words.

"There's no need to apologize," Hermione interrupted quickly. She stood up from her desk, walking around to give the older witch a hug. "I completely understand, and I just want you back as my roommate and friend."

Tonks looked up at her, a dazed expression on her face. "You really are something, you know that?" She said with a breathless laugh. "I can see why you and Remus are so close."

Hermione flinched at her words, not sure how to respond. "Tonks, we're not-"

"I know, I know," Tonks interrupted, waving her hand as if to dismiss Hermione's objections. "I just meant that you two always had some sort of connection that he and I didn't."

Hermione could feel her cheeks burn, wishing the conversation hadn't veered off into this direction. "I think we just have a little more in common than most, that's all," she explained lightly.

Tonks paused for a moment, biting her lip in what Hermione recognized as a nervous gesture. "Take care of him, won't you?" She asked quietly. Hermione went to reply, but she cut her off. "He's probably feeling really guilty right now, and I think he could use a friend."  Her tone was serious, but there was a certain suggestive quality to her voice that made Hermione's heart start to race.

"Of course," Hermione replied, a bit flustered. Two days ago, Tonks didn't want her anywhere near Remus, and now she was practically shoving her on him. 

"Good," Tonks breathed, giving her a brilliant smile. "I'll see you at home, right?"

Hermione nodded dumbly, trying to figure out what in the bloody hell had just happened.

She tried to convince herself she was only checking on Remus because she had promised Tonks, but she knew deep down she would have popped in on him regardless. Despite what Tonks had said, Hermione still felt that Remus loved her, he just didn't know how to handle it. Men in general weren't very good at emotions, and Remus was, in some ways, much _worse_.

Harry had told her enough about his Marauder days to know just how much he had depended on James and Sirius for companionship. With all of his friends gone, he was virtually _alone_.  Hermione had only met two other werewolves face-to-face, both of whom had been attempting to kill her at the time.  Being ostracized by society seemed to leave one either violent or a little reticent, and Remus was no exception.

Even with his lycanthropy, he was easily one of the most popular wizards at the Ministry. He got along with virtually everyone, and his somewhat old-fashioned notions of chivalry charmed virtually every witch around, including her. Kingsley, while being a bit nosier than she liked at times, was an excellent Minister, and she could clearly see why Remus had been chosen to represent the werewolves as a whole.

Apparating outside of Grimmauld Place, she quietly made her way into the house, hoping that Ron and Harry hadn't made it home quite yet. She loved her boys dearly, but they just weren't quite mature enough to be trusted at a time like this.  It had once been declared, several years ago, that Ron had the emotional range of a teaspoon, and it was unfortunately still very much the truth. Harry wasn't quite as bad, but he was a little too oblivious to be sensitive.

To her relief, she found the living room empty, save for Remus on the couch, his legs propped up on the coffee table in front of him. He glanced up at her when she walked in, giving her a forced smile. Her heart went out to him, but she refused to show even the slightest sign of pity. Remus hated pity almost as much as he hated disloyalty, and the last thing she wanted was to give him an excuse to distance himself from her.

"Hello, Remus," she said quietly, quickly moving to sit beside him on the couch.

"Come to see how I was doing?" He asked, letting out a dry laugh.

Before she could stop herself, she responded, "Actually, I was rather hoping you'd be drunk so I could hear about my white bikini again." She had meant it to be funny, but she realized too late that he probably wouldn't want to be reminded of that particular event.

Thankfully, Remus seemed to find her comment humorous instead of offensive, and she was rewarded with a genuine laugh. "Merlin, Hermione, every time I think I've got you figured out, you say something like that."

She gave a quiet chuckle, thrilled to see her words hadn't upset him. Sensing he wanted to avoid the subject of Tonks, she asked quietly, "Care to do any research tonight?"

He glanced at her in apparent surprise before letting a slow grin cross his face. "I'd love to," he replied, jumping up from the couch to head to the library.

Remus's POV

Just seeing Hermione did more to lift his spirits than any amount of alcohol could have.  She had a certain presence about her, an inner confidence that was very rare among witches her age. While other women fretted about their physical appearance, she seemed quite content with who she was. She was very comfortable in her own skin…something he wished he could say for himself.

Even though they had only been researching a few days, they had already uncovered massive amounts of materials which might prove to be helpful. He had found a few more volumes than she had, but she was quicker at weeding out the irrelevant texts. As he added yet another parchment to their growing pile of helpful papers, it suddenly dawned on him that he had forgotten to extend even the most basic of hospitalities to her.  "Hermione, would you care for a cup of tea? It appears my manners were on hiatus earlier."

She merely rolled her eyes as she replied with a smile, "I would love some tea, and I was about to head down to the kitchen to make myself some. We're friends, Remus, so you don't have to worry about your manners with me."

He chuckled softly, following her down the stairs to the kitchen. They were indeed friends, but he was probably more aware of his 'manners' around her than anyone else, mostly out of necessity.  Just watching her walk down the stairs made him want to do things to her body that _definitely _weren't considered proper etiquette. As much as he loved being around her, there were times he wasn't sure if he would always be able to keep himself in check.

Thankfully, the emotional strain of the day had dampened his libido for the evening, so he wasn't leering _too _badly at her cleavage…or the lovely curve of her hips…or the soft skin at her throat. _Stop it! _He silently commanded himself, taking a chair at the kitchen table while Hermione started on the tea.  After a few deep breaths and a brief rundown of all the ingredients required to make the Wolfsbane potion, his mind was sufficiently distracted enough not to embarrass himself.

"Are you going to the Quidditch game tomorrow night?" Hermione asked, pouring two cups of tea as she sat down at the table.

He quickly reached for his tea, hoping it would drown out Hermione's unique scent…one which Moony had come to love. He shook his head in response as he explained, "Tonks was already going, so I think I'll find some other form of entertainment tomorrow evening."

He nearly cursed himself when he realized how suggestive his comment sounded, but Hermione was mercifully oblivious to it.  "I'm thinking of doing the same thing.  I wasn't exactly looking forward to spending my Friday night fighting off Ron's advances."

He had luckily just swallowed his tea because he was certain he would have spit it out otherwise. "Do you want me to talk to him?" Remus asked sharply, resisting the urge to add in a few adjectives describing what he thought of the youngest male Weasley.  He knew it was ridiculous to be so possessive of Hermione, especially since she probably viewed him as a father figure instead of a potential suitor, but he couldn't stop the anger spiking through him at the mention of Ron's name.

"No, it's fine," Hermione answered, waving her hand dismissively. "He's supposedly dating Luna now, so he's been quite a bit better lately," she added.

They were both silent for a few moments as they sat sipping their tea. There were so many things he wanted to say to her, but he had absolutely no idea how to even begin the conversation. He knew she was wondering about his relationship with Tonks, and it was a safe bet she had already heard about what happened. "I don't love her," he blurted out, keeping his eyes focused on the table.

"So I've heard," she replied softly, causing his head to snap up. Her face held no pity, no judgment, just…understanding. "She came to my office this afternoon to apologize."

Remus's eyes went wide, surprised Tonks would make such an unprecedented move. Like a typical Gryffindor, she was a very proud woman and not prone to apologize unless forced to. "I tried to fall in love with her, and for a while I thought I might be able to, but I can't," he admitted, already feeling better unburdening his emotions to her. "I think we were both holding on to the relationship because it was easier than letting go."

Hermione simply nodded her head in response. "So you've worked things out with her, too?" He asked, trying not to appear too hopeful. Having Tonks and Hermione on good terms would not only make his job easier, but it would alleviate a lot of his guilt, too. 

"As far as I'm concerned, yes. She apologized for everything she said at The Burrow, so there are no hard feelings on my end."

Remus smiled as he shook his head. "You're too kind, Hermione."  Her cheeks went pink at his words. "Why didn't you ask me about Tonks tonight?"

She smiled back at him, showing her perfectly white teeth. "I assumed you would tell me about it when you were ready. It's not really my business," she said with a shrug.

"Actually," Remus mused quietly, "it _is _your business. Not only do you live with Tonks, but you'll be working with me for the next several weeks. If _anyone_ is entitled to an explanation of what happened, it's you."

"Well, when you put it like that…" Hermione said, allowing her voice to trail off as she grinned at him.

He felt his shoulders relax as he grinned back at her, thanking the gods once again that he hadn't lost her friendship.


	8. New Possibilities

Kingsley's POV

"The first conference will be in London," Kingsley began, holding up his hand when Hermione opened her mouth. "Before you ask, Miss Granger, I've already assured Arthur he will be granted as many tickets as he requests," he added, not able to suppress a grin when her cheeks went pink.

"What happened to calling me Hermione?" She shot back, grinning, causing both him and Remus to chuckle.

Turning to Remus, he inquired with a smirk, "Are you sure you can handle this spitfire, Remus?"

"I'll do my best, sir," Remus replied resignedly in a mock-somber tone. Hermione retaliated by punching him in the arm, while giving him what he suspected was her famous glare. Remus pretended to be hurt, moaning as he gingerly rubbed his bicep. She merely snorted as she turned her attention back to Kingsley, but a smile was still playing on her lips.

Kingsley watched the interaction between the two for the rest of the meeting, amazed at how comfortable they were around each other. It appeared since Tonks and Remus had split, Remus no longer seemed the least bit shy around Hermione. Kingsley was shrewd enough to deduce they weren't sleeping together _yet, _but he had his suspicions that Remus wouldn't be too upset if something romantic developed between them. Once the meeting was over, he asked Remus to stay behind under the guise of filling out some additional paperwork.

"How have you been holding up since Tonks left?" He asked simply, calculating that the blunt approach would yield the best results with Remus's stubborn nature.

He could see him visibly bristle at the question. "Tonks didn't _leave, _we simply decided to be friends," he replied curtly. "In regards to your question, I'm doing just fine."

Kingsley fought back a smirk, knowing he had hit a nerve. "Do you foresee any problems working with Miss Granger?"

Remus's expression turned from annoyed to curious as he eyed Kingsley. "No," he said slowly. "Do _you _foresee any problems between us?" He inquired with an arched eyebrow.

Kingsley gave him his best 'innocent' smile, which he was certain looked more mischievous than innocent. He had always been sneaky enough to 'fly under the radar', but he had never mastered the art of feigning innocence when questioned directly. "Well, now that you are both single, I was just curious if you had given any thought to-"

"Stop right there," Remus interrupted, his tone razor sharp. "We are _friends, _understand?"

"Of course," he replied smoothly, "but most relationships _start out _as friendships-"

"She's twenty years younger than me, Kingsley," Remus cut him off again. "So you needn't worry about a romance between us interfering with our work."

Kingsley noted the somewhat bitter tone to his voice, realizing they were starting to inch their way towards the truth. It was clear Remus was attracted to Hermione, but thankfully it was only his insecurities, not his lingering sense of loyalty to Tonks, that were holding him back. "Hermione is quite mature for her age, and she's not that much younger than your former girlfriend," he argued good-naturedly, not wanting to upset Remus to the point of him leaving, but unable to stop himself from goading him.

Remus opened his mouth to respond, but Kingsley continued over him. "You seem to be under the mistaken impression I disapprove of your relationship with Hermione-"

"There _is _no relationship!" Remus protested, his voice rising.

"-but I have no objection. In fact, I think it might even _help _your working relationship," he finished, pointedly ignoring Remus's outburst.

"Are you deaf?" Remus thundered, rising out of his chair, his face flushing. Kingsley gripped his wand under his robe, sensing he would need to use it soon. "There isn't anything between me and Hermione, and I don't know why you insist on making comments-"

"Why don't you have a seat and save all that passion for the bedroom?" Kingsley suggested as he lazily flicked his wand, freezing the werewolf in his tracks. "I simply want you to be aware that I have no qualms about you romancing Miss Granger."

"I have no plans of doing so," Remus gritted out as he fought against the invisible restraints Kingsley had conjured.

"Perhaps," he conceded, "but how would you feel if someone else romanced her instead?"

Remus's mouth gaped open for a moment as he stared at him in shock. He recovered a few seconds later, his voice filled with suspicion. "Are _you _planning on romancing her? Is that what this is about?"

He didn't particularly care for Remus's accusatory tone, but he practically ambushed Remus in his office, so he really didn't have a right to complain. "Although she is quite a delectable little witch," he began, nearly laughing when he heard Remus let out a low growl, "I am currently far too busy to even contemplate a relationship with _anyone." _He paused for a moment before adding, "But the fact still remains that you need to consider the possibility that she will take another lover if you don't make your feelings known."

"Who said I had feelings for her?" Remus demanded sourly. "Finding a witch intelligent or attractive doesn't necessarily mean you fancy her."

Kingsley wasn't fooled by his seemingly nonchalant statement; he could detect the slight defensiveness, and he was more confident than ever in his assertions. "If you _don't _fancy her, then you might want to start rehearsing your speech for when you let her down easy," he commented casually.

"What do you mean?" Remus asked, his eyes going wide. He almost wished Remus had been in his werewolf state because he would've wagered a month's salary his furry little ears would have perked up. "Has she spoken to you about me?" The earlier anger was gone, to be replaced by an almost reluctant hope.

"She didn't need to," Kingsley answered with a smile. "It's glaringly obvious she would respond favorably to any advances you made."

Before Remus could respond, or more likely _disagree, _a knock at the door cut him off. Kingsley opened the door to reveal none other than Hermione herself, looking a bit sheepish. "Sorry for the intrusion, but Remus and I are due for our physical assessment in a few minutes."

"No apologies necessary," Kingsley greeted her with a smile. "We actually just finished."

Remus smiled at Hermione before turning to him a wary expression as he headed out the door. "Think about what I said," Kingsley called out just as the door closed.

Feeling more confident than ever about his plans, Kingsley turned his attention to the growing stack of paperwork on his desk, happily whistling while he delegated the work.

Hermione's POV

Remus seemed rather odd after his meeting with Kingsley, but he had thankfully returned to normal by the time they had reached the testing area. True to his word, Kingsley had ensured they were put through every physical test possible. She not only had to perform a variety of physical exercises for the Healers, but she also had to answer a barrage of embarrassing questions, some of which she deemed completely irrelevant.  _Honestly, _she seethed inwardly, _was it vitally important to know how many men she had been with or what their blood status had been? _

Once the personal interrogation was over, she had assumed she would be finished, but the Healers had another surprise in store for her. She was directed to yet another room, this one lined with mirrors from floor to ceiling. There were three impeccably-dressed witches staring at her with a mixture of curiosity and contempt. She only recognized a handful of the contraptions on the numerous tables in the room, but it was enough to clue her in as to what was happening…she was being subjected to some type of makeover. Kingsley had mentioned something along the lines of _looking the part, _but he had been extremely vague about what that entailed. _Git__._

Two hours later, Hermione emerged from the room, grateful the experience was over. While it wasn't _quite _as excruciating as it could have been, it certainly wasn't something she wanted to repeat anytime in the near future.  The three witches ended up being professional consultants for _Witch Weekly_, and they made their living inventing charms and potions solely for cosmetic purposes. She found it a disappointing waste of obvious talent, but wisely kept her mouth shut while they were 'redoing' her look.

When she had looked at herself in the mirror, she was surprised to find her reflection was…familiar. She had never spent the money on a makeover, but several of her acquaintances had, and they had always ended up looking like a completely different person.  Hermione had even walked right past Ginny when she had hers done, not realizing the redhead was her friend of over a decade. 

Gazing at herself, she could see a few subtle differences, none of which she immediately disliked. Her eyebrows were a bit thinner, her lashes a bit thicker, her lips a bit plumper, and her hair a bit tamer…okay, a _lot _tamer.  It was as if they had taken her features and simply spruced them up a bit. Naturally, she would have never been so vain as to purchase a makeover in hopes of improving her appearance, but she couldn't help but be pleased with the results.

Hurrying down the hall, she headed towards her office. They had separated her and Remus for the testing, so she was anxious to know how he had done. She had no doubt he would pass the physical tests just fine, but she was curious if he had been subjected to any physical alterations himself. Opening the door, she found him seated in a chair, drumming his fingers nervously on her desk.

He immediately jumped up when she entered, his eyes going wide when he took in her form. She had meant to greet him, of course, as any normal friend would. She had meant to question him about the testing, to see if he had experienced any problems or difficulties along the way. Instead of asking any of those _appropriate_ questions, she blurts out, "You look like a Greek god."

Remus's POV

The testing had been rather rigorous, but he found he had little trouble completing all the assigned physical tasks. Being a werewolf had a few advantages, one of which presented itself in the form of physical strength. In school, James and Sirius had both played Quidditch for years, spending hours training and practicing even during the off-season. It had always rankled them that he could still outrun them on the rare occasion he joined them in their training.

The second part of the process was a bit more disconcerting, but he managed to survive. The wizards in charge of his 'physical appearance' were absolutely aghast at the scars on his arms and torso, and they weren't shy about their reactions. He was used to such treatment, and he took it all in stride, realizing he was likely to see similar reactions during the upcoming conferences. 

Regardless of their disdain for the side effects of his lycanthropy, they were quite talented at what they did. While he didn't exactly see a need for a makeover, he had to admit he was more than pleased with how it turned out. The grey in his hair was gone, as were the bags under his eyes and the lines in his face. They had even shown him several glamours he could use to hide his scars, which he was secretly anxious to try out.

He had never given much thought to how he looked, but Kingsley's voice kept echoing in his mind. Remus had claimed there was nothing between him and Hermione, and there _wasn't, but_…he knew if he were younger, things, at least from his perspective, would be different. Looking in a mirror was a constant reminder why he could never have her; she was not only a beautiful, highly desirable witch, but she was young enough to be his daughter. Now, however, when he looked in the mirror, he could easily pass as a reasonably attractive man in his mid-thirties…

Truth be told, he spent a fair amount of time staring at himself in the mirror before heading to Hermione's office. He wouldn't admit it unless under the threat of death, but he was grateful for Kingsley's insistence on the physical 'alterations.'  He couldn't remember the last time he had been this pleased with his appearance, and he found himself almost strutting down the corridor.

When Hermione failed to show up a few minutes later, the old self-doubts started to creep back in. He realized the physical examination would have been slightly different for her, so it could have taken longer for her to complete. He couldn't imagine them needing any time to make physical alterations to her because she was already a stunning young woman. When he heard the door open, he jumped up in anticipation, whirling around to see the loveliest creature he had ever laid eyes on. He started to tell her so when she uttered a sentence he had never heard directed towards him in his entire life.

"You look like a Greek god."

The look on her face was a mixture of shock and mortification. It was clear she hadn't meant to say it, which made him smile inwardly. She had said what she _thought, _not just what she thought he wanted to hear…which meant she honestly thought he looked like a Greek god. If he hadn't been so enthralled with her beauty, he might have said something clever or charming in response. Instead, he blurted out…

"I suppose that's a good thing since you would put any Greek goddess to shame."

He sincerely hoped she could overlook the banality of the line to see that he truly meant what he said. They hadn't changed her look that much, but they had highlighted every glorious feature, making it nearly impossible for him to tear his eyes away from her.

"Oh, well, um, thank you," she said, shifting uncomfortably. Her cheeks were still tinged pink, but she seemed a little less embarrassed, most likely due to his own humiliating response. "The grey is gone from your hair," she added in a shy tone.

"Yeah," he muttered, cursing himself inwardly for sounding so inane. Running his fingers through his short hair, he teased, "Does this mean I no longer look distinguished?"

He was rewarded with a soft laugh, Hermione shaking her head as she stepped further into the room. "You would look distinguished no matter what, Remus," she said, a lovely smile still on her face.

Hermione's POV

After the somewhat embarrassing experience in her office, she and Remus had spent an hour or so researching a few final items for their presentation.  Her fingers were practically itching to run through Remus's sandy blonde hair, and she wondered more than once what he would look like without those pesky clothes obstructing her view. She had blushed at the thought, scolding herself for letting her hormones run away with her. At the time, she'd been a bit worried she might not be able to focus on the presentation because of her undeniable attraction to Remus…

Today had proven that theory wrong. She and Remus had spent all morning together in close quarters, but her mind was solely focused on the presentation they were to be giving in a few moments. There were so many emotions coursing through her veins at the moment, there just wasn't enough room for 'lust'. She was excited, anxious, and yes, even a little…_apprehensive (_it was the closest a Gryffindor would honorably admit to being afraid). 

Remus, however, was the perfect picture of calm, his arms folded neatly against his chest as he leaned back in his chair. Hermione was literally sitting on the edge of her seat, while he looked as if he was merely waiting for another mundane meeting to start. "How can you be so calm?" She finally asked, trying to keep the irritation out of her voice. _It wasn't natural! _

He simply smiled at her, clearly amused at her agitated state. "It's a little different for me, I suppose," he mused with an apologetic tone. "Everyone here _knows _I'm a werewolf, and yet they've shown up to see me. For years, I had to hide what I am, only to have people shrink away in revulsion if they discovered the truth. No one is hiding from me here, and that means more to me than anything else."

The irritation seeped out of her, replaced by a humbling adoration for the man next to her. To her, the presentations were a chance to 'right a wrong', to educate people on the true nature of werewolves. To Remus, it seemed to be more of a personal catharsis of sorts, a chance for him to finally be _free_.  She felt somewhat ashamed of her silly insecurities, and opened her mouth to apologize, but Remus cut her off.

"There's absolutely nothing to apologize for, Hermione," he stated firmly, leaning forward to take her hand in his. "Just because you react differently to a situation doesn't mean you reacted _incorrectly." _

She let out a laugh, more from an urge to relax than amusement, finding a little less tension in her shoulders. "I think I'm wound a little tighter than usual," she confessed.

"So am I, we werewolves just hide it better than you women do," he quipped, giving her a rogue wink. She sent him a half-hearted glare, which only made him smile wider. Enclosing her fingers with his other hand, he added softly, "Everything will be okay."

And it was.


	9. Presentations

Remus's POV

When he first walked out into the auditorium full of interested witches and wizards, he felt like his heart might explode from sheer exhilaration. Hermione had immediately joined him on the stage, no sign of her previous nervousness. They smiled at the audience as they were introduced, the somewhat noisy crowd silencing themselves as they began the presentation.

At the risk of sounding arrogant, Remus wasn't entirely sure it could have gone any better than it did. Hermione did an absolutely marvelous job not only outlining the purpose of the presentation, but also to draw parallels between the ostracizing of werewolves and the anti-Muggleborn beliefs of the Death Eaters. It was a very convincing and persuasive argument, one which appeared highly effective judging by the audience's reaction.

In the first two rows, he saw a plethora of redheads, smiling to himself as he realized the Weasleys were in attendance. Molly was already dabbing her eyes halfway through Hermione's part of the presentation, and she only got worse when Remus began his part. While her portion had focused more on the emotional and logical aspect of werewolf inclusion, Remus would be explaining the _physical_ consequences of lycanthropy.

He began with a short biography on his life, explaining how he was bitten by Fenrir Greyback when he was a young child. The mention of Greyback, who was well-known for support of Voldemort during the War, caused several wizards and witches to murmur softly in sympathy. He anxiously moved on to his Hogwarts years, not wanting to turn the presentation into some sort of pity party.

He then listed the basic symptoms, for lack of a better word, of a lycanthrope. Apart from the monthly transformations, there were the heightened senses, the irritability around the full moon, the sensitivity to silver, as well as an unusual ability to heal oneself. He ran through the facts fairly quickly, but stopped to tell a few anecdotes here and there, drawing laughs from the audience.

It was nearly a two-hour presentation, but it seemed to fly by from his perspective. After he thanked everyone for attending, he then addressed the audience. "We have set aside this time to take any questions you may have. If you will simply raise your hand, you will be called upon and then you may address your questions to either myself or Miss Granger."

He and Hermione had both agreed the thoroughness of the presentation would probably pre-empt most questions, but they had allotted time for a 'question and answer' session just in case. He anticipated a few questions might be asked, but he wasn't quite prepared for nearly twenty hands to immediately shoot up at his words. He exchanged a quick glance at Hermione, whose eyes were wide with surprise, before calling on the first audience member.

"Are there any sorts of food that you crave during the full moon?" A rather portly man asked, causing Remus to strain to squelch a laugh.

He did, however, look at Hermione for a brief moment before responding. "I've always been rather fond of meat, but I tend to like it prepared a little rarer when the full moon approaches." He waited a few beats before adding, "I also happen to have a rather unhealthy obsession with chocolate."

The crowd chuckled at his comment, and Hermione shot him a grin from her podium. She called on the next audience member, a rather attractive female who directed her question at him. "Are you single?" She asked in a flirtatious tone.

The audience twittered at the personal question, and Remus couldn't help but smile. "Yes, I am single at the moment," he replied. "In case any of you men were wondering, Miss Granger is also single," he added, winking at Hermione. Her cheeks were pink with embarrassment, but it didn't escape his attention that several men lowered their hands after his declaration.

More questions came after that, ranging from details of his transformation to their favorite colors. He never imagined people would be quite so interested in mundane details about his life, but even the smallest details seemed important. After almost thirty minutes of nonstop questions, Remus thanked the audience once again, and closed the session.

He and Hermione received a standing ovation as they exited the stage, audience members still shouting out encouragements as they made their way backstage. The ushers directed them to a small waiting room off to the right where they would stay until Kingsley showed up. Remus walked in first, his adrenaline still pumping throughout his body. His senses were still heightened, and he felt like he was about to jump out of his skin.

He was in the process of coaching himself to remain calm when Hermione entered the room behind him, shutting the door firmly behind her and launching herself into his arms.

Hermione's POV

Throwing herself into Remus's arms might not have been the best course of action, but it was all she could think about when the presentation ended. He had been magnificent, single-handedly capturing the hearts and minds of the audience. Many witches, and even a few wizards, were wiping away tears as Remus explained the obstacles he faced as a lycanthrope. He was so brave, so…_strong, _Hermione felt like weeping with pride at seeing him on stage.

When they were left alone in the waiting room, she found her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, her head buried in his shoulder. Remus was stroking her back lightly, telling her how wonderful she did, how terrific she was…She tried to respond, but her voice was muffled by his chest. She wasn't ready to let him go just yet, so she held onto him for a few more moments to compose herself.

She finally pulled back, quickly wiping away stray tears that had made their way down her cheeks. Straightening her hair and clothes, she opened her mouth to apologize to Remus, only to be stopped by his voice. "I don't know how to thank you, Hermione," he said quietly. She normally would have interrupted him, but the sheer emotion in his voice stopped her. "There's no way I could've done this without you."

She nearly protested the sentiment out of habit, her ingrained sense of modesty not wanting to receive undue credit. Unfortunately, she made the mistake of looking into Remus's eyes first, and she found herself completely unable to speak. Those beautiful orbs held more joy in them than she had ever seen. Even when Harry defeated Voldemort, Remus's temperament appeared the same…calm, cool, stoic. Now, however, he was truly _happy. _

Slowly, she raised a hand to his cheek, watching with awe as his eyes fluttered closed at the contact. His skin was warm and softer than she imagined it would be. Her mouth opened once more to respond, but she couldn't find the words to express what she was feeling. Afraid of ruining the moment, she simply sat silent, caressing his cheek as he leaned into it slightly.

After a few moments, he turned his face towards her hand, lightly kissing her palm. She gave a little gasp at the gesture, her heart pounding in her chest. Part of her was terrified he would stop while the other part was terrified he wouldn't. She couldn't deny her attraction to him, not now…but she was still afraid it was only one-sided. The adrenaline rush from the presentation was still coursing through her veins, and she couldn't help but wonder if Remus would have acted the same way a few hours ago…

Before she had an opportunity to further analyze Remus's actions, or even respond to them, a knock at the door drew them out of their thoughts. She snatched her hand back, smiling apologetically at Remus as the door wrenched open, revealing a grinning family full of redheads.

Just like that, the moment was lost.

Remus's POV

Normally the appearance of the Weasleys would be a welcome distraction, but he felt an unnatural urge to throttle every ginger-headed one of them. Feeling the warmth of Hermione's body against his, and then her hand against his cheek…it was almost indescribable. In all their couplings, Tonks had never evoked such emotion in him as Hermione did with a simple touch.

He had planned on kissing more than her palm when they were interrupted. The Weasleys descended upon Hermione like flies to honey, each one wanting to congratulate her on the presentation. They soon made their way over to him as well, alternately hugging him and clapping him on the back. He briefly caught Hermione's eye for a moment, smiling at her before she was caught up in Harry's arms. Even though she smiled back, it was obvious he wouldn't be able to recapture the moment.

Sighing inwardly, he followed the group outside, joining in the discussion about which restaurant they should go to in order to celebrate properly. He briefly considered just apparating home when he saw the youngest male Weasley approach Hermione. He tried his best to simply ignore Ron, but his eyes kept following him as they walked down the corridor. Hermione seemed oblivious to Ron's actions, but Remus noticed how he kept walking closer to Hermione, purposefully brushing up against her. Unable to stand it any longer, he approached them with a forced smile on his face.

"Hello, Ron," he greeted him, casually wedging himself between Ron and Hermione. "Haven't seen you around in a while."

Ron didn't look overly thrilled with the interruption, but he sent a forced smile back to Remus. "I've, uh, been a little busy with work."

"Oh, I thought it might have something to do with Luna," he replied, giving him a conspiratorial wink.

Hermione quietly chuckled at his antics. "Yes, Ron, I forgot to ask. How are things going with Luna?"

Ron's face was getting redder by the moment, and Remus couldn't help but inwardly cheer. After being so close to kissing Hermione, he couldn't possibly watch as another man tried to worm his way into her heart. Even though Ron had been seeing Luna for the past few months, Remus had the distinct impression he would gladly drop her for a chance with Hermione.

"Oh, um, things have been…um, great," Ron answered, clearly uncomfortable with the direction the conversation was going.

"Oi! Do you lot know how to get to The Red Lantern?" George called back over the din of the Weasley crew.

"Sure," Remus responded easily, still planting himself firmly between Ron and Hermione.

"I don't think I've been there before," Hermione interjected, her lips turning down into a frown. He could see Ron take a step towards her, and he immediately sprang into action, not giving himself a chance to rethink his actions.

"No need to worry, love," he replied, placing an arm around her waist. "I'll apparate you with me." He tried to tell himself he was merely ensuring she arrived safely at the destination, but he couldn't help but feel a little sense of victory at seeing the shocked and disappointed look on Ron's face before they disappeared into this air.

Tonks's POV

Tonks settled down at the table, picking up The Daily Prophet to see the latest Quidditch scores. Her…_date _for the evening wasn't a big Quidditch fan anymore, so she knew she couldn't rely on him to fill her in on the latest news. She wasn't quite sure she could call him her _boyfriend, _and she was even less sure that she _wanted _to call him that. He was adorable, of course, but she had already proven she wasn't very adept at relationships.

With her mind pleasantly distracted, she almost missed the picture on the front page. With a trembling hand, she ran her finger down the page, stopping at the lovely image at the bottom. The caption read _Beauty and the Beast, _and it was a clear indication of what she had both hoped for and dreaded at the same time – Remus was over her.

The picture had been taken at the latest conference he and Hermione had attended, and it had clearly been a success. He had an enormous grin on his face, and his eyes were trained solely on the young witch beside him. Hermione was grinning right back, her face flushed as they were congratulated on their presentation. Remus had slipped an arm around her waist, and he pulled her closer as he bent to whisper in her ear.

An irrational feeling of jealousy spiked in her stomach before she realized she couldn't be mad at Remus when she was the one who was already seeing someone else. On some level, she had always known Remus hadn't physically cheated on her. Gazing at the picture, however, she would also admit his heart had never really been in their relationship. He didn't want to hurt her, but he couldn't bring himself to love her either. She had always wondered why, but it was now painfully obvious…

_He had already been in love with someone else. _

Hermione's POV

After the close call following the presentation, she was afraid Remus would distance himself from her. In the past, he always seemed to pull back whenever he got too close to someone. Surprisingly, this time he seemed to be loosening up. The next few weeks passed quickly, with presentations in six different countries keeping them busy. Instead of pulling away from her, she found they were closer than ever, sharing nearly all of their meals and free time together.

The touches and embraces they shared were still friendly, but he no longer seemed uncomfortable sitting close to her or putting his arm around her shoulders. In fact, she realized _he _was the one who initiated most of the physical contact between them. Naturally, it didn't mean he shared her feelings for him, but at least he wasn't repulsed by her.

The only downside she could find was the danger in acquiring that dreaded label…_good friend. _They talked incessantly about a variety of topics, and they had both confided in each other on numerous occasions. Both of those were _good _things in her mind, but Remus still hadn't made a move on her. _Perhaps he only wanted her as a friend? _It was entirely possible, and even probable given the situation. After all, she and Harry had been best friends for years, and there was no way she could ever look at him romantically. They had just shared too much as friends to ever make the leap to the next level...

She was lost in her thoughts as she padded lightly into the kitchen. The full moon had been last night, so she and Remus had been given a few days reprieve. Spending a few nights at her flat was a welcome change, and she looked forward to preparing herself a nice, healthy breakfast.

"Hermione!" Ginny exclaimed, pouring herself some orange juice. "We weren't sure you'd be up so early today."

Hermione smiled back, surprised and pleased to see her two roommates. Tonks was sipping quietly on coffee, clearly not completely awake just yet. "I just can't seem to sleep in these days," she replied offhandedly as she took a seat next to Tonks. "How are you two doing?"

"Great!" Ginny replied, not bothering to give Tonks a chance to interject. "Blaise made reservations at that fancy French restaurant for tonight!"

Hermione smiled at her squealing friend, happy to see her relationship with Blaise was still going well. Risking a side glance, she saw Tonks looking at her intently. "Are you okay?" Hermione asked, her voice soft. They'd settled their differences long ago, but she knew her relationship with Remus, no matter how platonic at the moment, would probably still irritate her roommate.

"Why haven't you made a move on Remus yet?" Tonks asked bluntly.

Hermione stared in shock at her roommate, her jaw moving but no words coming out. "I'm…I'm sorry…what did you just say?" She finally managed to get out.

"Why haven't you made a move on Remus?" Tonks repeated, her expression unreadable. "I know you two care about each other, and it just doesn't make any sense."

Hermione shook her head, not quite believing what she was hearing. Tonks was _encouraging _her to go after Remus? A few months ago she was tossing her out of her apartment because of him, and now she wanted her to actually date him? She tried again to respond, but she was simply too dumbfounded to form any coherent sentences.

"You haven't dated in a while, 'Mione, and I think it's time you got back out there," Ginny encouraged her, sending her a brilliant smile. "Remus might be the perfect place to start."

"Remus and I are _just friends, _and I honestly don't see that changing anytime soon."

With that, she got up from her chair, walking quickly to bedroom. She desperately needed to process her feelings of what Tonks and Ginny had said, and she didn't want them to know their words had affected her so much. _Was Tonks really okay with her and Remus seeing each other romantically? Did Ginny really think she should date Remus? _More importantly, _would Remus want to date her? _


	10. New Developments

Harry's POV

After the first conference, Harry was very nearly convinced that Remus had feelings for Hermione. Not only did Remus apparate her to the restaurant, but he sat right next to her, talking and laughing with her the entire evening. When she went to the loo, Remus had ordered for her, already knowing exactly what she would want to eat. Harry had been best friends with Hermione for years, and he didn't even have a clue what she would've ordered.

Over the next several weeks, Harry's feelings only solidified – Remus and Hermione, whether or not they realized it, had developed romantic feelings for each other. Harry had attended two other conferences during the month, wanting to show his support for his two friends. They seemed closer than ever, neither one straying from the other too long. When Harry took them out for a celebratory dinner, he watched, fascinated, as Remus and Hermione acted like an old married couple, finishing each other sentences and sharing inside jokes.

Harry realized that when Hermione and Ron had dated, he'd never felt like a third wheel. His presence was always welcomed, and he was always privy to their conversations. Sitting with Hermione and Remus, however, was quite another story. They were teasing each other about various things, most of which he had no knowledge of. It was obvious his presence was not required, or even wanted, and he quickly headed home, blaming his early exit on a headache.

He was now staring at the front page of The Daily Prophet, wondering how long it would be before Remus and Hermione admitted their feelings to one another. The picture in front of him showed a smiling Hermione and Remus, arms wrapped around each other in a celebratory hug. The article went on to explain how wildly successful the conference had been, highlighting the work accomplished by both of them as well as Kingsley.

"Hard to believe they're _just friends, _isn't it?" A voice behind him called, startling Harry out of this thoughts.

He turned to see Ginny, his former girlfriend, standing in front of him, a playful smile on her lips. "Remus and Hermione keep claiming they're just friends, but pictures like that sure do make a person wonder."

He nodded in agreement as he gestured for her to take a seat. "What brings you by?" He didn't mean to sound rude, but he and Ginny didn't usually seek each other out anymore, especially when others weren't around.

"I was actually here to see what you thought about your best friend and former Professor having a relationship," Ginny replied, folding her legs beneath her as she sat on the couch.

"According to Hermione, there _is _no relationship," Harry muttered, staring once again at the picture in front of him. "Do you think it's because of Tonks?" He asked, leaning forward curiously. Ginny roomed with both girls, and he was confident enough in her observation skills to know she would pick up on any underlying tension between them. She was also a Weasley, which meant she had no qualms about being nosy if the information she wanted wasn't forthcoming.

"Nope," she answered, shaking her head. "Not entirely, anyway. That's what I can't figure out. Tonks _told _Hermione she was okay with it, but Hermione just acted as if it didn't matter."

Ginny was silent for a moment before adding, "I sort of wondered if perhaps _you _had said something to Hermione."

"Me?" Harry echoed, his mouth widening in shock. "Why would you think that?"

"Well, you know how much Hermione values your opinion," Ginny hurried to explain, "so I just thought maybe you said something to her or Remus…about possibly _discouraging _the relationship."

"To be honest," he began slowly, not hardly believing his own ears, "I think Remus and Hermione…actually make a good couple." When he first met Remus years ago on the Hogwarts train, he'd never in a million years anticipated saying that.

Ginny looked at him, giving him a half-smile in response. "They make a better one than we did, huh?"

He sent her an apologetic smile in return, wishing just for a moment things had turned out differently. Sensing the need to inject some humor into the conversation, he joked, "They at least look better together than Ron and Luna."

As expected, Ginny let out a peal of laughter at his comment, her eyes shining brightly once more. "Well, if _you _are happy, and _Tonks _is happy, then why in Merlin's name aren't they shagging each other yet?"

The water he'd been drinking sputtered out, dripping down his chin. "Merlin, Ginny! You've got to warn a bloke before you say something like that!"

The redhead merely grinned at him, standing up from the couch as she gave him a very insincere 'Sorry.' Turning towards him one last time, she declared, "I'm going to keep working on Hermione, and you see what you can do about Remus." She paused for a moment before adding thoughtfully, "Can you just imagine how bloody _brilliant_ their kids are going to be?"

Before he could respond, she apparated out of the house with a faint 'pop'. Harry laughed to himself, realizing he and Ginny made much better friends than lovers. Of course, he also realized she was completely serious about his mission on helping Remus make a move on Hermione. He wasn't about to risk the wrath of the youngest Weasley, and in all honesty, he was excited about helping his best friend find love again.

Glancing at his owl, he decided to write Kingsley for help, knowing he was one of the few wizards alive _more _stubborn than Remus was.

Tonks' POV

After talking with Ginny, Tonks was more determined than ever to help Remus and Hermione see the light. Although Hermione and Remus had never broached the subject with her, she instinctively felt they were both holding back for her sake. Seeing as she had moved on from Remus, she felt it was only her duty to inform Remus that he had the green light to make a move on Hermione.

"Wotcher, Remus," she drawled, biting back a laugh when she saw her ex-boyfriend jump at the sound of her voice. "How're things going?"

"Tonks!" Remus greeted her awkwardly, his voice coming out higher than normal. "I'm g-great. How are you?"

"Splendid," she answered, taking a seat next to him. She could tell her presence in his office was making him nervous, so she decided to skip the small talk. "Before you ask, I want you to know I didn't come here in hopes of getting back together with you."

"Oh, I knew that," Remus immediately scoffed. She fought the urge to roll her eyes, knowing it was _exactly _what he'd been worried about. If she pointed it out to him, however, he would deny it, so she decided to let it slide. It wasn't her intention to waste time on trivial matters.

"I actually came here to tell you that I think it's time you moved on." She knew there was a small part of her that wanted Remus to move on so she wouldn't feel any guilt over her own new relationship, but the bigger part of her just wanted her former lover to be happy, even if it was with someone else.

Remus was silent for a few moments before asking, "Pardon?"

"Remus," Tonks sighed, shaking her head in frustration, "I think we both know that you've been attracted to a certain witch for a while now, and there's no reason why-"

"Stop right there," Remus interrupted, immediately standing from his seat. "You're just as bad as Kingsley. I know you're talking about Hermione, and I promise you we're just friends."

Tonks smiled, not surprised by his reaction in the least. He really was _quite _predictable at times. "I know you're just friends _right now, _but I don't understand why you won't make a move on her."

"Because we're friends!" Remus exclaimed, as if he answered her question instead of merely repeating what she'd _just_ said.

She stared at him for a moment, debating on what she should say. If she pushed too much, he'd back off on principle. If she didn't push hard enough, he'd never make a move. _Gods, he was a stubborn man. Hope Hermione knows what she's getting into… _"It's up to you what you do, but I just wanted to let you know that I don't have a problem with you and Hermione dating."

A few moments passed by silently, and she risked a glance at Remus, seeing he was clearly shocked by her words. "You're serious?"

"Yes," she nodded. "I'm…uh, I'm actually dating someone else as well," she admitted with a slight cough. She didn't anticipate it being this difficult to discuss her love life with Remus, but it was definitely more awkward than she thought it would be.

"You are?" Remus asked, his voice laced with surprise.

She felt herself bristle slightly at the statement, wondering if she should be offended at how shocked he seemed. Glancing at his face, she could tell he didn't mean for it to sound quite so hurtful. He opened his mouth to no doubt apologize, but she cut him off. "I know you didn't mean it like that, Remus. It's a fairly recent development, of course, but I'm dating a bloke from the Ministry."

She stared at him intently, careful to look for any signs of disapproval. She was fairly certain he didn't have any romantic feelings for her anymore, and she was hoping she didn't misread the signals. Luckily, he actually appeared happy with the news. "Well, I guess congratulations are in order!" He said cheerily, reaching out to briefly hug her.

"Thank you," Tonks replied with a smile, thrilled her plan was playing out like she anticipated. Remus clearly didn't have feelings for her, and now he knew she was okay with him and Hermione. _Now if only one of them would make a move…_ "I have to go, but think about what I said." When she saw Remus's lips turn down into a disapproving frown, she couldn't resist adding, "Just so you know, you're not the _only _bloke that finds her attractive."

Hermione's POV

"Hermione," Ginny began for what seemed like the hundredth time, "I just think it might do you some good to go on a few dates. I've got several friends who I know for a fact would be interested in-"

"In a casual shag, which I don't want," Hermione interrupted firmly. As much as she tried to dissuade the younger girl, Ginny was adamant about trying to set her up. She thanked the gods again that she was only home for a few days before the next trip.

Ginny rolled her eyes, not the least bit deterred by the comment. "Not _all _males are that despicable, Hermione," she pointed out, her hand finding its usual place on her hip.

"I'm honestly too focused on the presentation right now to worry about finding a boyfriend," she commented, dropping her purse on the kitchen table. "I've got much more important things to do than-"

"Than enjoy your life?" Ginny cut in this time, a smug look on her face.

"I enjoy my life," Hermione protested, drawing out two glasses from the cupboard. "Not everyone has found a sexual soulmate like you and Blaise have, but that doesn't mean I'm not happy."

"_Sexual soulmate_?" Ginny questioned, heading towards the ice box. "I swear, Hermione, you really need to work on your vocabulary…" her voice trailed away as she disappeared around the corner.

Hermione waited for a few moments, expecting to hear her friend's voice. When no response came, she called out tentatively, "Ginny?" Walking over, she found her friend staring down at the floor, her eyes wide with surprise. "What's wrong?"

She continued her stroll over to Ginny, approaching her cautiously. The look on her face wasn't one she saw often, and she couldn't imagine what was causing her to react that way. When she rounded the corner, she saw what was causing the problem…

_A pair of men's boxers. _

Judging by the shocked expression on Ginny's face, the offending pair of undergarments did _not _belong to Blaise. Ginny turned to look at her, arching an eyebrow in a questioning manner. "They're not _mine!" _Hermione practically shrieked, taking a step back.

Ginny merely laughed at her reaction, shaking her head slightly. "If they aren't _yours_, and they aren't _mine or Blaise's_…" she trailed off before sending Hermione a roguish grin, "then Tonks has some explaining to do!"

Even though Ginny said she wouldn't mention the boxers to Tonks, Hermione had a feeling the redhead would do _something _to let their roommate know about them. That morning, Ginny finally admitted she'd left them on top of Tonks' bed before heading to work, knowing she would find them later on that day. Tonks, of course, was probably mortified, or possibly angry, and Hermione wasn't surprised when she asked her and Ginny into the kitchen for a talk.

"I wanted you both here because I felt it would be best to tell you at the same time," Tonks began, fiddling nervously with her hands. "I know you're probably wondering why there was a pair of men's…undergarments in the kitchen yesterday." Her cheeks were uncharacteristically pink, and Hermione nearly laughed before she caught herself.

"Knowing you two, you've probably decided I was having some sort of sordid affair with an unknown wizard," she added, her voice a little stronger as she gave them both pointed looks.

"What? Us? I don't have the faintest idea what you're talking about," Ginny said, her hand covering her chest in mock-hurt.

Tonks merely smirked as she replied, "Well, if you _were _thinking that…you'd be right."

Hermione thought her eardrums might burst as Ginny let out a high-pitched squeal at Tonks's admission. "I knew it! I knew it! Didn't I say she found someone?" Ginny said excitedly, practically bouncing in her chair. "I _told _Hermione you were shagging somebody, but she wouldn't believe me!"

"It's not that I didn't believe you, I just thought we shouldn't speculate on a private matter," Hermione corrected, giving Ginny a half-hearted glare. Turning to Tonks, she continued, "I knew you'd tell us when you were ready."

The pink-haired witch nodded, smiling shyly at both of them. "I know I'm usually pretty open about these things, but he's…_different." _

The way she said 'different' made Hermione pause. _What made him different? Was he a Muggle, perhaps, or maybe even a former Death Eater? _She was silently praying it wasn't a former Slytherin when Tonks spoke up, no doubt anticipating the barrage of questions Ginny was sure to start firing at her. "He's a little younger than me."

Ginny gave her an evil grin as she leaned forward in her chair. "Oooh, nice work, Tonks. If you catch them young, then you can train them right."

"Ginny!" Hermione admonished, scandalized at the younger girl's words. She knew Ginny was quite a bit more forthcoming than she was about certain things, but it still surprised her how…_forward _she was.

Tonks laughed, her cheeks becoming a little darker. "He actually went to school with you. His name is Roger," she said quietly, her eyes not quite meeting theirs.

She wracked her brain, trying to remember a Roger that she went to school with. After several moments, the only name she could come up with was… "Roger _Davies_?" She asked, hoping her voice sounded more curious than shocked.

Tonks hesitated for a moment before nodding her head in confirmation. "Wow," Hermione breathed, sharing a surprised look with Ginny, "He was in Ravenclaw, not to mention a Prefect. That's quite a catch."

"I know!" Tonks responded, her tone almost giddy. "We've been seeing each other for a few weeks, and last night was the first, um, well _overnight _date, and I guess we got a little carried away."

Her face was nearly crimson by now, but Hermione and Ginny didn't hold back their laughter. It was obvious Tonks didn't mind too much because she already had a rather dreamy expression on her flushed face. "So is he good in bed?" Ginny asked, arching an eyebrow at Tonks.

Hermione opened her mouth to scold Ginny for the absurd question, but Tonks cut her off. "He's incredible, and he has the cutest little arse you've ever seen!"

"Lucky you!" Ginny responded with a smile. "Blaise's chest always does it for me, and his lips are to die for!"

She knew her mouth was hanging open as she stared from Tonks to Ginny. They were discussing their significant others as if they were pieces of meat! Her roommates had always been a bit more open about their sexual experiences, but she just couldn't believe they would start discussing favorite body parts so nonchalantly.

"Oh, don't look so surprised, Hermione," Ginny chided her, winking conspiratorially at Tonks. "It's not like we're bad people for admiring our men."

"Besides," Tonks added with a mischievous smile, "we don't mind if you want to share details with us."

"I don't have any details to share!" Hermione exclaimed indignantly, finding herself a little offended at their insinuations. "I'm not some little…tart!"

"Are you saying we are?" Ginny inquired, arching an eyebrow almost challengingly at her.

"Of course not, I just…" Hermione huffed, frustrated with the conversation. Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself again. "I just meant that you two have boyfriends, but I don't, and I certainly don't intend on doing anything that would warrant me having…_details _to share."

To her surprise, Ginny merely laughed at her, not appearing the least bit offended. "I know what you meant, Hermione, I just had to tease you a bit. You're wound too tight."

As much as she wanted to defend herself, she knew Ginny's assessment was a little too accurate to fight against. Luckily, or so she thought, Tonks spoke up. "So you mean to say that you haven't shagged anyone in a while?"

"Not exactly," she answered, clearing her throat. "I've been very busy at work."

_Gods, she sounded lame to her own ears. That was her best excuse? Work? How pathetic. _ Ginny, of course, wouldn't let it die. "You know you can always mix business and pleasure, Hermione."

She shot the younger witch an evil glare before turning back to Tonks, hoping she wouldn't notice the look she sent Ginny. "I prefer to keep my professional life separate from my personal life, thank you very much."

"Where's the fun in that?" Tonks piped up, shooting her a sly smile.

Hermione frowned, disappointed her only possibly ally was siding with the enemy. Ginny was formidable by herself, but Hermione knew she wouldn't stand much of a chance if Tonks joined her, too. "I know you both mean well, but I'm honestly okay with focusing on my career right now."

Ginny and Tonks exchanged knowing smiles, leading Hermione to realize they had already been discussing her love life for some time. "You _do _realize you've been working closely with a very attractive, single guy, don't you?" Tonks asked, arching an eyebrow at her.

She gave her a puzzled look, not entirely sure where the conversation was headed. "You mean Kingsley?"

Her question caused both Ginny and Tonks to burst out laughing. "Not _Kingsley_, you silly witch!" Tonks replied with a smile. "I was talking about _Remus." _

She didn't need a mirror to know that her eyes must have widened to the size of saucers. She couldn't believe Tonks was mentioning Remus to her _again_, especially after the last conversation. She'd made it clear then, or at least she thought she had, that nothing was going on between them. "Tonks, you _know _that Remus and I are just friends, and I would _never _do anything to hurt you-"

"Don't even _say _it, Hermione," Tonks warned her, her voice sterner than usual. "Remus and I aren't together anymore, and I have to admit Roger's done a pretty fantastic job of helping me move on from Remus. I honestly wouldn't mind in the least if you two started dating. I know you didn't believe me the last time I said it, but it's still true."

"Nothing's happening between me and Remus," Hermione replied, cutting off Ginny as she opened her mouth to speak. "We're good friends, but there's nothing romantic going on between us." She was careful not to say whether or not she _wanted _something to happen between them. After all, she wasn't entirely sure _what _she wanted, and she wasn't going to say a word to her meddling best friends until she was certain of her feelings.

"That doesn't mean that there _can't _be anything romantic between you in the future," Ginny pointed out, a devilish smile on her face.

"You've both gone spare," Hermione announced, getting up from the table. The conversation had definitely taken a turn for the worse, and she was feeling more uncomfortable by the second. She immediately headed for the stairs, but she couldn't help but hear Tonks' final parting shot along the way.

"Remus cares about you, Hermione!"


	11. Together

Dinner had been absolutely perfect. He'd known they would have plenty to talk about, they always did, but he'd hoped there would be more of a romantic vibe to the evening. Luckily for him, the restaurant he'd chosen was quite cozy, with soft lighting and private alcoves. They'd been huddled together over ravioli and fettuccini most of the night, and they'd gotten even closer as the night wore on.

After nearly two and a half hours at the restaurant, they headed for the hotel, their conversation remaining steady. They'd been joking about the presentation that day, and there was no sign of the earlier tension that Kingsley had caused. "Was it absolutely _necessary _that you bring up a werewolf's heightened sex drive?" Remus asked teasingly.

"It was a legitimate point," Hermione protested, laughing.

"Yes, but I was bitten _before _I hit puberty, so it wasn't as if I could tell a difference. I've always been this way," he pointed out with a smug smile. The friendly banter between the two was one of the highlights of the conferences for him.

"You know as well as I do that _someone _would have asked the question if I didn't bring it up," she shot back with a knowing smile. "Would you rather have to answer the question all by yourself or have _my _data to answer it for you?"

"I wouldn't have minded answering it," he argued as they continued walking down the hallway, oblivious to the passers-by.

"Oh really?" She said with a smirk as she turned to look at him. "What exactly would you have said?"

"I simply would've let the audience know that my sexual prowess was unmatched and mere wizards couldn't compare," he answered with mock-bravado, puffing out his chest.

Hermione laughed, apparently highly amused at his antics. "Is that so?"

"Of course, love," he said, leering at her playfully. Before he could stop himself, his mouth ran away from him. "I wouldn't mind giving you a demonstration if you need proof."

Hermione's POV

She nearly dropped her hotel key when Remus offered to prove his purported expertise in the bedroom. Laughing nervously, she had replied with a completely inane answer, not even remembering what she had said. Remus seemed more shocked than she was by his 'offer', nervously laughing it off as a joke. He quickly excused himself, proclaiming a sudden need to return to his room.

When he made his offer, a rather large part of her wanted to simply say 'yes', then drag him into her room and keep him there the rest of the conference. The past few months had been wonderfully stimulating for the intellectual and logical side of her, but it had been pure hell for the emotional and sexual side. Her attraction to Remus seemed to grow every day, and she wasn't sure how much longer she could keep from throwing herself at him.

Ginny and Tonks seemed convinced Remus was attracted to her, but she was admittedly miserable at reading signals. Every time she thought she had Remus figured out, he would do or say something to confuse her again. He was always friendly, and it was impossible for her to determine if he wanted more than just intelligent conversation and a cup of tea.

_Honestly, _she thought crossly as she changed into her bedclothes, _she was a supposed 'werewolf expert' but she couldn't manage to read the one werewolf she spent all her time with! _He had been upset, perhaps even jealous when she and Kingsley had dinner together, but then it could have been the approaching full moon that agitated him…or perhaps it was even-

A knock at her door drew her out of her thoughts, and she hastily made her way to answer it. She was fairly certain it was Remus, coming to apologize. She could almost predict the entire conversation, with Remus begging her forgiveness for his 'thoughtless remark', and vowing to keep himself in check from this point forward. She would tell him not to worry about it, but he would insist upon apologizing, and things would be awkward for the next few days before finally returning to normal.

She opened the door slowly, smiling politely at her werewolf companion in front of her. She opened her mouth to hopefully pre-empt the unnecessary and painful apology, but he beat her to the punch. "I lied," he said forcefully.

Her mouth was still gaping open, somewhat shocked by his words. It took her brain a moment to register that he hadn't apologized after all. Giving him a confused look, she tentatively asked, "You lied about what?"

"I wasn't actually joking when I offered to prove…myself to you," he said rather breathlessly, running his hand through his hair. "I was serious. I'm tired of lying to you and to myself. I'm not _entirely_ sure I can backup my earlier claim of sexual prowess, but I can't think of anything else I'd rather do than spend the next few hours shagging you rotten," he finished in a rush, his breath now coming in pants.

She was sure her face was red, but she was far too focused on her body's reaction to his words to worry about blushing. Just hearing Remus say he wanted to sleep with her was wreaking havoc on her body, and she had to fight to keep from moaning out loud. She was already having a difficult time catching her breath, and her heart felt like it might explode out of her chest.

She let her eyes wander over Remus's lean form before bringing her gaze up to meet his again. Realizing he was still waiting for her answer, she said the first thing that came to her mind.

"I think I'd like that demonstration now if you're not busy."

Remus's POV

The lust and excitement in her eyes was nearly his undoing. Standing in the doorway of her hotel room, she looked unbelievably sexy. Remus wasted no time bursting through the doorway, shutting and locking the door behind him. He had been too hesitant for far too long in his life, and this was one moment he was determined to make the most of. He immediately captured her lips with his, thrilled when he felt her arms wrap around his neck.

"Just to warn you," he murmured as his lips traveled down her throat. "This, uh, demonstration may not last long." He let out a groan as she rolled her hips against his, pressing her body even closer to him. "I think I'm a little rusty, and you…" he muffled his voice against her neck, "you are _so_ incredible."

She let out a throaty little laugh at his words, panting as she replied, "It's been a while for me, too, but I think we'll figure it out."

"Mmmm…" was the only response he gave, shifting his focus to her shirt. His hands were nearly shaking with need, wanting so desperately to be inside of her. The tiny buttons on her pajamas didn't seem to want to cooperate with him. Hermione moved her hands down to help him, but he realized he couldn't wait. Grabbing hold of the ends of the shirt, he ripped it in two, immediately pushing the material back from her bare shoulders.

His eyes drank in her naked chest and torso, thanking the gods she hadn't bothered with a bra. His lips immediately attacked her skin, tasting as much of her as he could. She moaned at the contact, causing his pants to become even tighter. As much as he wanted to take things slow, he knew he couldn't. "I…I don't think I can wait," he managed to choke out, his voice muffled by her chest.

"You don't have to," she breathed, running her fingers through his hair. She scraped her nails lightly across his scalp, and he groaned, pressing her further into the wall. "We can go slow next time."

Remus grinned before capturing her lips again as he led them towards the bed. _She said there would be a 'next time.' _

Hermione's POV

She had never felt so wanton in her life. She'd always admired Remus for being so responsible and dependable; it was one of his defining characteristics. To see such a highly composed man suddenly lose all sense of control because of _her _was more of a turn on than she could imagine. As he placed her gently on the bed, his lips and hands were everywhere, touching her, making him want her more. She knew it was a little presumptuous of her to assume there would be a 'next time', but Remus seemed so happy when she mentioned it, that she felt her heart soar.

It would've been quicker to use her wand to divest them of their clothing, but there was something intrinsically sensual about taking off his clothes using her hands instead. She fought the urge to simply rip off his shirt, settling for fumbling with buttons and muttered curses. His hands were roaming all over her while she tried to undress him, and she found it increasingly difficult to remember what she was doing. When she finally rid him of his clothing, however, she couldn't help but stop and stare in awe.

Other than a few faded scars on his torso, his body was absolutely perfect in her eyes. His long, lean form stood before her, all taut muscle and sinew. Her eyes quickly traveled southward, stopping when she saw just how impressive certain aspects of his anatomy were. She wasn't the most experienced witch, but she'd seen enough to know Remus had every reason to brag.

She could've stared at him all night, but he obviously had other plans. Placing himself over her, he wasted no time removing the last vestiges of her clothing, making sure to kiss every available inch of her. She felt his finger slip inside her, and she couldn't stop the moans from leaving her mouth.

She'd always imagined Remus would be a wonderful lover, but he was putting her fantasies to shame. In only a few moments, he'd already brought her near the brink, and he had only used his fingers. When he finally withdrew his hand, he entered her in one swift thrust, moaning her name as he waited for her body to adjust to him. A few seconds later, he began to move, and Hermione was lost.

Remus's POV

He had just shagged Hermione Granger…twice. He kept waiting for that familiar feeling of shame or guilt to hit him, but it still hadn't happened. He'd been lying in bed, awake, watching Hermione sleep for nearly an hour, and all he could think about was taking her in his arms again. No matter what obstacles came to his mind, he couldn't wipe the silly grin from his face. He was _finally _happy…

He smirked inwardly as he realized it wasn't _just _shagging. True, the first time had been somewhat…rushed, but they both knew it wasn't a one-off. The second time he'd been gentler, taking his time, making sure she felt cherished. While he enjoyed the physical act of lovemaking, it was the emotional connection with her that meant so much to him.

Risking a sideways glance at his new lover, he found her sleeping peacefully on her side, curled towards him with a slight smile on her face. Even though the presentation had gone well the night before, he was pretty certain _he _was the reason for her smile, and it made his own grin grow wider.

"Morning," she murmured, her voice roughened by sleep. Her eyes fluttered open, and he was mesmerized by the swirling depths of her brown eyes.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered, leaning down to kiss her softly on the lips. He quickly travelled to the curve of her jaw, her neck, and her collarbone.

"Oh, Remus," she moaned lightly, stretching to give him better access. He grinned, realizing he would never tire of hearing her moan his name. "Do we have anywhere we have to be today?" She whispered as she planted a kiss of her own on his shoulder.

"No," he mumbled in reply, pulling the sheets down a little further. He wanted to kiss _all _of her, and he wanted to do it _now. _

Surprisingly, she pulled the sheets closer to her, offering him a shy smile. He gave her a puzzled look, not sure why she was pulling away. _Surely she didn't regret it, did she? _She seemed so certain last night, he'd been convinced she wanted to be with him. _Had he misread her? Was she trying to let him down easy? _"Hermione," he began slowly, withdrawing his hand from her, not wanting to pressure her, "are you…well, I mean are you…do you regret last night?"

"No!" Her immediate reply loosened the knot in his stomach, and he let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "I didn't mean," she started, shaking her head. "I'm just a little…_inexperienced _about how to act on the 'morning after', you know?"

He grinned at her, nodding in response. "I know what you mean, but you don't have to worry about that." She gave him a curious look, and he grinned wider as he explained, "I'm not that experienced either, but I think we could definitely get better with a lot of practice…together."

The slight blush on her cheeks deepened, and he saw her eyes go wide with surprise. He knew they'd not talked at all last night about the future of the relationship, but he had absolutely no intention of this being anything less than a steady, and more importantly, _exclusive _relationship. When she didn't respond, he continued talking, knowing it might take a little convincing to persuade her. "I know we didn't talk about this, but I want us to be together, officially. I've wanted you for _months_, and I've no desire to be away from you again."

He wanted to say so much, but she pounced on him so quickly, he barely had time to register her movements, even with his reflexes. Feeling her lips on his, and her eager hands start to claw at the sheets separating them, he smiled against her lips, knowing he got the answer he wanted.

_She was his. _


	12. Roommates

Hermione's POV

While she didn't regret one moment of her night with Remus, she wasn't exactly thrilled with having to face the outside world. It wasn't that she was ashamed of Remus – it was the exact opposite. She was actually a bit ashamed of herself, ashamed it took her so long to act on her feelings. For months, she'd denied they were anything more than friends, while wishing the entire time that she had the courage to make a move on him. It wasn't behavior befitting of a Gryffindor, and she was sure her friends would be quick to point it out.

Hearing Ginny Weasley say 'I told you so' wasn't something she was looking forward to, but glancing at the handsome werewolf beside her, she knew it was still worth it. Remus was the most incredible man she'd ever met, and having a chance for a relationship with him was literally a dream come true. No one could compare to him.

As they flooed to Grimmauld Place, she berated herself for nearly forgetting her destination. She was so caught up in her excitement over her burgeoning relationship with Remus that everything else was slipping her mind. Trying to shake her distracting thoughts out of her head, she turned to the object of said distraction, Remus. "Do you think we should wait before we let others know we're dating?"

She hadn't wanted to ask the question, but she knew they needed to discuss it. In truth, she was _hoping _he wanted to wait, mostly so she could gather her thoughts and prepare a defense if necessary. The Weasleys alone would be a force to be dealt with, as well as Harry and especially Tonks. She'd been focused on her feelings and emotions when she was with Remus, so she needed a day or two to start thinking with her brain again.

"Actually," Remus started, wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her flush against his chest, "I think we should tell everyone as soon as possible."

"Oh?" Hermione could barely manage to say anything, losing herself once again in Remus's touch. It felt so good to be in his arms, she barely remembered to breathe. "Why?"

He grinned at her, looking at her as if he knew something she didn't. She wanted to question him, but his next sentence completely silenced her. "I want us to live together."

Remus's POV

He knew it was a big step, but there was absolutely no ambivalence or hesitation on his part. He wanted her with him every minute of the day if possible. After only one night with her, he was convinced he could never survive another night without her beside him. Waking up next to her had been incredible, and he knew in that moment he was ready.

"W-w-what?" Hermione stuttered, her eyes the size of saucers as she stared at him, her mouth hanging open.

He expected her to be shocked by his revelation, although a tiny part of him was hoping she would readily agree. "I know this seems a bit sudden, but we've been dancing around each other for months now. I know I'm ready to be with you, and I don't want us to be apart, even for one night."

Sitting down on the couch, he pulled her next to him, placing her by his side. He looked at her expectantly, trying to be patient while he waited for her response. Her face showed no reaction other than her initial shock, and he couldn't get a read on her thoughts. _Was she happy? Did he scare her off? _Doubt started to creep in his mind as he realized he might scare her away by moving too fast. There was a reason it took them so long to admit their feelings – they liked to think things through, and here he was, practically forcing her to move in with him as if-

"I'd love to," she whispered breathily, her face finally breaking into a grin.

As quickly as they entered his mind, the doubts vanished, leaving him to enjoy holding her in his arms.

Tonks's POV

As soon as Remus and Hermione walked into the Burrow, she knew they had finally admitted their feelings to each other. They weren't holding hands or even touching, but it was still obvious by the way they were grinning like madmen. Hermione was positively glowing, and Remus looked happier than she'd ever seen him. She felt just a slight twinge of jealousy knowing that Hermione could make him happy in a way she couldn't, but she quickly pushed the feeling away.

When the two lovebirds finally sat down at the table, sitting conspicuously close together, the rest of the group in attendance seemed to notice their closeness. Ginny gave her a wink as she nodded her head in their direction. Tonks grinned back, thrilled to see her friends were finally happy.

"Anything you two would like to tell us?" Ginny asked over the noise of the table.

Molly froze in the middle of levitating potatoes to the table, turning to stare pointedly at Remus and Hermione. It was clear she was excited at the prospect of the two of them being together romantically, and she wasn't surprised to find knowing smiles on Harry's face as well as the twins'.

Remus cleared his throat, glancing nervously at Hermione. They were still smiling like fools when Remus turned to address them. "Hermione and I are officially dating," he explained in a proud voice.

Tonks let out a loud whoop the same time Ginny did, while the others clapped and cheered at the announcement. Ron was the only one who seemed somewhat subdued, but he managed to smile at the happy couple. Tonks felt relieved, knowing he wasn't going to cause any trouble for them. Ron had quite the temper, and she knew no matter what he'd said, he wasn't quite over Hermione.

"Congratulations!" Harry said, lifting his glass in salute. Everyone else followed suit, bestowing well wishes on the new couple. "When exactly did you two finally make it official?"

"Two nights ago," Hermione answered, her cheeks still a little flushed from the excitement.

"It's about time!" Ginny said with a grin, laughing as nudged Hermione with her elbow.

"I guess that means I'll be seeing more of Hermione around the house now," Harry piped up.

"Actually," Remus began slowly, sending a sidelong glance at Hermione, "you probably won't see as much of her as you think." Tonks frowned in thought as she waited for him to elaborate. "Hermione and I are moving into a flat together."

While others began shouting questions at them, wanting to know when they were moving and where they would be living, Tonks felt like she'd been blindsided. She _knew _Remus and Hermione would be happy together, and she _knew _there was a chance they would become serious – she even _wanted _it to happen. She just wasn't expecting it to happen so soon.

Rationally, she knew they didn't owe her an explanation, and she wasn't entitled to be privy to the details of their relationship. On an emotional, irrational level, though, she felt a little betrayed, wondering why they hadn't thought to warn her beforehand. She knew her feelings were a bit unreasonable, but the shock of finding out Remus and Hermione were moving into together left her a little off-balance.

She and Remus had dated for _years, _and he'd never given the slightest hint that he wanted to move in with her. When she'd broached the subject a few times, he'd always brush her off, saying he didn't want to live with someone until after he was married. Now, after dating Hermione for only _forty-eight hours, _he was moving in with her.

She realized Ginny had been casting her worried looks, and she quickly placed an enthusiastic smile on her face, not wanting others to know what she was feeling. Regardless of her hurt feelings, she wasn't going to ruin Remus and Hermione's day – she'd done that before, and she still regretted her childish behavior on that day.

"Well, I hope you have some dessert, Molly, because I'd say we definitely need to celebrate!" She piped up, sending a wink at the Weasley matron.

Molly beamed back, thrilled that her desserts were thought worthy of the celebration. "Of course, dears!"

Ten minutes later, Tonks quietly excused herself as she headed outside. Everyone was still enjoying their desserts, and the raucous conversation was in full swing. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to escape, so she didn't let it pass her by.

She'd only been outside a few minutes when Remus appeared beside her. It used to unnerve her how he would suddenly appear out of thin air without even apparating, but she'd gotten used to it after they'd dated for a while. "So where's Roger at tonight?" He asked in a casual tone.

"He's working," she replied, trying to keep her tone light. She doubted Remus meant to do it, but just saying Roger's name put her in a slightly better frame of mind. She and Roger weren't ready to move in together, but the relationship was progressing nicely, and it reminded her that it made no sense to worry about her ex's new relationship.

The silence between them stretched out for several moments before Remus broke it. "Tonks, you aren't mad at Hermione, are you?"

Tonks blinked, surprised at the question. "Why would I be mad at Hermione?"

He gave her a wry smile. "I'm not entirely sure, but she said she noticed you weren't quite yourself tonight. I think she's convinced it's her fault."

"It's not her fault," Tonks said quickly, cursing herself for not covering up her emotions better. She should've known her observant roommate would notice even the slightest changes in her behavior. "I'm not mad, I'm just…" she floundered, not knowing how to express her feelings.

"Upset?" Remus guessed.

"I'm a little out of sorts," she finally replied.

"May I ask why?"

She took a deep breath, fighting back the irritation. She knew Remus meant well, but she didn't want to discuss her feelings on this particular topic with him. Knowing he wasn't likely to leave her alone any time soon, she responded, "I was just a little surprised that I'm losing a roommate."


	13. Missing Chapter Between 10 and 11

Kingsley's POV

After a brief meeting with a certain raven-haired wizard, Kingsley decided he should pay a visit to Miss Hermione Granger. After the last presentation, he'd been almost positive his werewolf friend would make a move on the lovely witch, but he'd underestimated Remus's stubbornness. The man was _almost _unmovable when he made up his mind. _Almost. _

Fortunately for Remus, he was confident his subsequent plan would finally remove the last shreds of hesitancy for him. His plan was, of course, not the nicest or most compassionate, but he'd grown weary of taking the gentlemanly route with Remus. He'd already tried that, and it was an amazing failure. Kingsley was forced to be the picture of diplomacy in his professional life, but he enjoyed quite a bit more leniency with his personal life.

With that in mind, he headed to the German minister's conference room, knowing Hermione and Remus would be there discussing how the latest presentation went. He'd seen, once again, how incredibly persuasive Remus and Hermione could be, and the presentation was a smashing success. He took it as a sign that his plan would also be a success, and he confidently strode into the room, not able, or willing, to hide the smirk on his face.

"Kingsley!" Hermione greeted him, standing up from her seat. She and Remus had been seated together on a couch, huddled together in what was surely a private conversation. Remus smiled as he greeted him as well, his face still flushed, probably more from his proximity to Hermione than the success of the presentation.

"It seems you've had yet another successful presentation," he commented, inclining his head slightly towards Remus in acknowledgement.

"Thank you," Remus replied, rising to stand beside Hermione. Kingsley inwardly laughed at the almost protective stance Remus took, hovering over Hermione as he inconspicuously placed himself between her and Kingsley.

"I wanted to congratulate both of you on your excellent work thus far," he continued, keeping his eyes trained on Hermione. "Whoever selected you for the job must be an _extremely _intelligent wizard," he added lightly.

Hermione and Remus exchanged smiles as Kingsley kept his focus on the lovely young witch in front of him. "Now, I'm not usually one for celebrating, but I was curious if you'd like to join me for dinner tonight, Hermione."

He almost laughed out loud at the look on Hermione and Remus's face. Hermione's smile was hesitantly replaced by a look of confusion while Remus's face immediately darkened. "W-wh…I'm sorry, did you say dinner?" Hermione finally choked out, her eyes wide with shock.

"Of course, my dear," he replied, stepping forward smoothly to grasp her hand. As he placed a gentle kiss on it, he couldn't resist adding, "I thought it would be a good opportunity for us to…get to know each other a little better."

He kept his tone purposefully suggestive, and he had to bite his tongue to keep from adding more when he saw the evil glint in Remus's eyes. _Ah, so it's true about werewolves being territorial. _He enjoyed ribbing his friends as much as anyone, but he knew there was a line he couldn't cross with Remus. He was normally a rational man with a rational response to everything, but Kingsley realized that Remus' rationality didn't extend to situations involving Hermione.

Hermione, still looking rather flustered, finally managed to reply with an affirmative. It didn't escape his attention that her gaze quickly switched to Remus, almost as if she feared his reaction to her response. Remus had schooled his expression during the meantime, and he blankly stared at Hermione before turning back to Kingsley. "Don't forget that we're supposed to have breakfast with the German Minister tomorrow morning," Remus said coolly.

Kingsley gave him a winning smile in return. "Oh, no need to worry Remus," he began slowly. "I'll have Miss Granger back in time for the breakfast."

He had carefully chosen his words, anticipating it would get a rise out of Remus…he wasn't disappointed. The werewolf's eyes went a little wider, as did Hermione's, and he opened his mouth to speak. Kingsley, however, wasn't about to wait for Remus to object. "Miss Granger, I will pick you up from your room at precisely seven o'clock. Enjoy the rest of your day."

He gave a rather curt bow to Remus, and after a much longer bow towards Hermione, he strode towards the door, thankful he could hide his smile as he exited the room. Taking the piss out of Remus was actually quite a bit more fun than he'd thought, and he was already looking forward to tonight. With any luck, Remus _might _just find the courage he'd been lacking to finally get his witch.

Hermione's POV

She was a bit confused by Kingsley's 'invitation' to dinner, especially since it came across as more of a command. Kingsley had never expressed any sort of romantic interest in her before, so she was reasonably certain it was merely a professional outing. It did, however, seem a little odd that Remus wasn't invited, too. _Why didn't Kingsley want Remus to come with them? _

She was quietly pondering her questions when Remus suddenly spoke up, "I didn't realize you and Kingsley had become such good…_friends." _

The sharpness in his tone surprised her, and she immediately whipped her head around to catch his gaze. "We _aren't _such good friends, which must be why he wanted to go to dinner. Since he knows you better, I guess he wanted-"

Remus interrupted her with a derisive snort. "I know _exactly _why Kingsley wanted you to go to dinner with him." His stance was almost rigid, as if he was barely able to restrain himself. His eyes, instead of emitting their usual amber warmth, were hard and cold, and she was starting to wonder if she'd upset him by accepting Kingsley's invitation.

"Why do you think he asked me to dinner?" She inquired quietly, knowing the louder she spoke, the more agitated Remus would become.

"I think it would be fairly obvious to an intelligent witch such as yourself," he replied crisply, darting his eyes away from her.

She wasn't entirely positive, but she was starting to get the impression that Remus thought Kingsley fancied her. She admitted the thought briefly crossed her mind, but it was utterly absurd. Kingsley was the Minister of Magic, and he'd never even flirted with her before. It didn't make sense that he would suddenly decide to chat her up, especially in front of Remus. Deciding any response would only fan the flames, she switched tactics. "Are you angry at me for accepting his invitation?"

He immediately turned towards her, a rueful expression on his face. "I could never be angry at you, Hermione," he answered softly, the tension suddenly leaving his body. "I am, however, a little upset with Kingsley."

"Why?" She hadn't meant to blurt out the question, but it was almost an automatic reflex. Her curious nature just didn't know when to be quiet.

He sighed as he rubbed his hands over his face. "He told me before that he found you attractive, but he assured me he wasn't going to pursue you."

"Remus, he's _not _pursuing me," she countered, shaking her head. "It's _just _dinner. We're not picking out rings."

"Not yet," he muttered under his breath, his expression darkening again. "I just don't understand why he would lie to me. He actually _encouraged _me to-" He abruptly stopped himself, turning his lean frame away from her.

Just a few moments ago, they'd been having a wonderful conversation, and she had started to feel like perhaps they had made some progress towards being _more than friends. _Now, a few short minutes later, Remus acted as if he wanted nothing to do with her. She tried to ask if he was okay, but he simply waved her off as he headed towards the door, leaving a bewildered witch in his wake.

Kingsley's POV

When he went to Hermione's room that evening, there'd been no sign of Remus. In fact, when he'd questioned Hermione about the events of her afternoon, Remus's name didn't come up once. If he knew Remus, and he was certain he did, he imagined his dear werewolf friend was highly agitated with him. More than likely, he'd said something to upset Hermione and then retreated to his room to lick his wounds.

What Kingsley didn't expect was to have such an enjoyable evening. He'd viewed the dinner date as a sort of price he had to pay for his plan to work; instead, he found himself absolutely charmed by Hermione Granger. He'd known she was intelligent, and he'd seen her wit surface from time to time, but she was even more impressive than he'd thought.

After nearly three hours of wining and dining the lovely witch, he decided it was best to end the date. In truth, he was a little afraid he would be tempted to carry on the charade if he didn't stop himself soon. He rarely spent any time around females…well, for the purposes of wooing them. Looking at the attractive figure of Hermione, he knew he'd be tempted to do something foolish if he continued staring at her.

She seemed to take no offense when he suggested they end the evening, and they walked amiably back to her room. Although he couldn't prove it, he was willing to bet a large sum of money that Remus was somewhere close, possibly attempting to eavesdrop.

"I had a lovely time this evening, Hermione," he murmured as he brought her hand up to kiss it lightly.

"I did as well," she replied as she ducked her head slightly. It amazed him how confident she was in matters of intelligence but shy in matters of the heart.

He tugged on her hand a little, hoping she would tilt her head up to look at him. When he achieved the desired action, he continued, "Looking at you almost makes me wish I wasn't Minister."

She gave him a quizzical look, but surprisingly kept silent. "I…do not have time for both a professional and a personal life." Pausing a moment, he clarified, "And you would make a most welcome addition to my personal life."

The widening of her eyes and the darkening of her cheeks made it obvious that his comment embarrassed, and if he wasn't mistaken, _pleased _her. After a moment, she gave him a wry smile, "I'm very flattered, but I'm guessing you're choosing your professional life, correct?"

He gave her a rueful smile, nodding in response. "I'll envy the man you choose, Miss Granger." With a final kiss upon her cheek, he turned back towards his room, oddly surprised at how much he meant the words he'd spoken to her.

Remus's POV

He'd never quite admitted to himself _just _how much he cared for Hermione. It had been there, buried underneath his wall of self-doubt and loathing. He'd kept his feelings concealed for months, and yet somehow one dinner date with Kingsley had unleashed a torrent of emotions.

Seeing Kingsley practically leer at Hermione set his blood boiling. He was the Minister of Magic, yet he'd had the audacity to ogle Hermione _right in front of him! _He felt like screaming at Kingsley, but he knew he couldn't with Hermione in the room. It would undoubtedly clue her in to his feelings, and the last thing he wanted was Kingsley to be present if she rejected him.

For three tortuous hours, he stayed in his room, thinking of one horrible scenario after another. Was she laughing at his jokes? Did he hold her hand during dinner? Was Kingsley trying to impress her with his status? Did he promise her something in return for her affection? He immediately discounted the last one, knowing it was highly unlikely that either Kingsley or Hermione would do such a thing. After three hours, however, he wasn't thinking rationally anymore.

When he started to consider how the date would end, he realized just how much trouble he was in. The thought of Kingsley staying in Hermione's room…it made him nauseated just thinking of them together. _What would happen if she actually invited Kingsley in? _Remus knew he would have to leave the hotel, if not the city itself. Otherwise, he was likely to embarrass himself and possibly harm Kingsley, or at least try to.

Some might have considered it stalking, but Remus waited up for Hermione anyway, positioning himself just a few paces from her door. His Disillusionment charm was strong enough to hold out, and he didn't want to miss a moment. He'd been standing outside her room for nearly an hour when she showed up with Kingsley.

Fighting back the urge to throttle his _friend, _Remus watched as Kingsley kissed Hermione's hand. He followed the conversation, nearly gasping when Kingsley said Hermione would be a welcome addition to his personal life. He silently sighed in relief when the former Auror left, realizing he had dodged a bullet. As he watched Hermione enter her room, he knew he had a decision to make.

One option was for him to continue life as usual. He could continue the presentations with Hermione and simply enjoy being her confidante and friend. It wasn't the most exciting prospective course of action, but it was the safe choice. He and Hermione worked well together, and it would definitely be easier to not to rock the boat.

The other option was for him to follow in Kingsley's footsteps and ask Hermione out on a date. While he knew the outcome of the other option, he had no idea how Hermione would react if he asked her out. He was certain she liked him well enough, but that didn't mean that she wanted to risk their professional relationship or that she viewed him as anything more than a friend. _If _she said yes, though…

He knocked on Hermione's door, praying she answered it quickly before he had time to change his mind. Thankfully, she answered it almost immediately, a beautiful smile on her face. "Remus! I thought perhaps you'd be in bed by now."

He smiled tentatively back, his hearting pounding in his ears. "I just wanted to see how your evening went."

"Oh, it went quite well," she replied, oblivious to his reaction. "I have to admit, though, I was rather looking forward to spending the evening with you."

This time, Remus grinned in response, ridiculously pleased with her answer. Feeling a bit bold from the confidence boost, he inquired, "Well, perhaps you would like to have dinner with me tomorrow tonight?"

Hermione's POV

Her mind knew that he wasn't asking her out on an official date, but her heart must have been convinced otherwise because it started racing worse than when she had attended the Yule Ball in fourth year. She fought to keep a casual, nonchalant look on her face as she replied with a simple 'Yes'.

"Excellent!" Remus replied, his amber eyes lighting up. "There's a little Italian café that I know you'll love." Pausing a moment, he added, "I know it's rather late, so I'll see you tomorrow morning. Have a good night."

With a gentlemanly bow, he headed toward the direction of his room. It might have been her imagination, but his confident gait seemed to have a bit more swagger to it. Shutting her door, she leaned against it as she allowed herself a moment to process what had happened. In the span of one evening, she'd had dinner with the Minister of Magic and been asked to dinner by the world's most famous werewolf. Gods, she felt a little like the scarlet woman Rita Skeeter had always accused her of being.

Her date with Kingsley had been so unexpected that she'd had little time to prepare herself mentally. He didn't show his personable side that often, and it left her a little unbalanced. Kingsley had always been placed firmly into the category she reserved for authority figures – professors, supervisors, etc. She'd never once considered him 'dating' material, and her attraction to him was somewhat puzzling.

_Did her attraction to Kingsley mean she wasn't really attracted to Remus? _She rejected the thought, realizing it was perfectly natural and acceptable to find two very different men attractive. More importantly, she realized that although she'd always regarded both men as authority figures, it didn't mean that her assessment of them couldn't change. Kingsley had never been a potential suitor until tonight, yet she had a wonderful evening alone with him. If that happened with Kingsley, then that meant it could happen with Remus, too…right?

She sighed as she sat down on her bed, wondering if she was worrying herself about nothing. Remus was such an honorable man, and she was fairly certain he wouldn't want to do anything that would appear improper. Dating her would obviously upset Tonks, and Remus would certainly still have a few leftover feelings about his ex-girlfriend. It made sense that Remus wouldn't ask Hermione out until enough time had passed that Tonks nor Remus were attached to each other.

After going through her normal bedtime routine, Hermione snuggled under the covers, replaying the night's events in her head. Despite telling herself that Remus didn't view her romantically, and he would always just be her friend, she couldn't stop that tiny seed of hope being planted in her heart at the thought of having dinner with Remus tomorrow night.


End file.
